04 January,2024 07:05 AM IST | Mumbai | G Krishnan
India players celebrate an Aussie wicket during the third ODI at Wankhede on Tuesday. PIC/PTI
Australia have the upper hand against India following their 3-0 rout of the hosts in the just-concluded ODI series and will look to extend their supremacy over the hosts in the three T20Is beginning at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai.
They are expected to display the same "ruthlessness" as shown in the third ODI, which they won by a whopping 190-run margin. The T20Is hold significance considering the women's T20 World Cup will be held in similar conditions in Bangladesh later this year.
The 23-6 win-loss record in favour of Australia with a tie and a No Result in 31 T20Is is a reflection of how good they have been in limited-overs, winning six WT20I World Cup titles in eight editions, the latest being in South Africa less than 11 months ago. Their T20 record in India is impressive, winning 10 and losing only one with one tie in 12 matches. They won both the bilateral series in India with identical 4-1 margins in 2011-12 and 2022-23.
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This series should see the return to form of Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur. Her last six innings at Wankhede - 9, 5, 3 in ODIs, 0 in Test v Australia, and 6' and 9 in the T20Is against England - are not encouraging. Returning to DY Patil Stadium, where she scored 49 and 44 not out in the Test against England last month, should bring back her confidence.
However, one Indian batter Australia will be wary of is Smriti Mandhana. The left-handed opener is yet to score a T20I ton, but strikes at 130.20 against Australia in the shortest format. Australia leg-spinner Georgia Wareham said on Thursday: "For leg-spinners Alana King and myself, the left-hand batters give us much grief. Smriti is a tough match up against us. Given that DY Patil Stadium has been a really good wicket with a lightning outfield, it is tough to be a bowler in general."
India have included Kanika Ahuja and Minnu Mani, both left-handed batters and off-break bowlers in place of Sneh Rana and Harleen Deol from the ODI squad.
