A smashing partnership of 116 runs between vice-captain Smriti  Mandhana ( 72 runs, 40b, 7×4, 4×6) and captain Harmanpreet Kaur ( 45 runs, 39b, 6×4, 1×6), paved way for a four-wicket win for India-A Women Cricket Team against in the opening T-20 match against Australia-A. The match was played at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Ground in Mumbai on Monday.
The association between Smriti and Harmanpreet for the third-wicket ensured the team to chase the target of 161 runs comfortably. The team stuttered when Harmanpreet, Anuja Patil and D.Hemlatha got dismissed at the successive overs, thus leaving the team at 143-6 in the 18th over. It was then, team India’s all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar (21*runs, 9b) and Deepti Sharma (11*runs, 7b), who both lead the team’s way towards the win.
With the series being played prior to the departure of Women’s team for World-20, this game will definitely provide a major boost to Team India.
Score Board:Â
Australia- A Women: 160 for 6 in 20 overs. Heather Graham-43, Naomi Stalenberg-39, Tahila McGrath – 39
Anuja Patil: 2 for 22, Deepti Sharma; 2 for 30
India-A Women: 163 for 6 in 19 overs. Smriti Mandhana-72, Harmanpreet Kaur-45
Amanda JadeWellington: 2 for 34
