India lose plot from a winning position in Commonwealth Games debut; No.6 batter Ash Gardner inspires stunning fight back for Australia to win by three wickets
Australia’s Alana King (left) and Ashleigh Gardner fist bump India’s wicketkeeper Yastika Bhatia after their T20 game on the opening day of the Commonwealth Games at Edgbaston, Birmingham, yesterday. Pic/AFP
India pacer Renuka Singh’s dream spell did not prove to be good enough as Australia came back from the brink to pull off a three-wicket win in the Commonwealth Games Group ‘A’ opener here on Friday.
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The target of 155 should have been a straightforward chase but Renuka, playing only her seventh T20, broke the backbone of Australian batting with figures of four for 18 in four overs.
India pacer Renuka Singh Thakur claimed 4-18. Pic/Bipin Patel
With Australia on the mat at 49 for 5, India should have completed the job, but allowed Ashleigh Gardner (52 not out off 35 balls) to change the game in two game-changing stands of 51 and 47 with Grace Harris (37) and Alana King (18 not out) respectively.
In the end, Australia overcame the target comfortably, showing the reigning T20 and ODI world champions can win from any situation.
Memorable knock
Gardner’s countering attack innings was the one to remember as she played with the tail to knock off the runs.
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The Powerplay overs belonged to Renuka who produced a brilliant spell of fast bowling. She removed the dangerous Alyssa Healy in the first over to make the game interesting before getting rid of Beth Mooney and Australian skipper Meg Lanning.
Spinners flop
A sharp in-swinger led to the downfall of the aggressive Tahlia McGrath, making it 34 for four with India all over their fancied opponents. However India lost the momentum as their premier weapons—left-arm spin twins Radha Yadav (0-42 in 4 overs) and Rajeshwari Gayakwad (0-24 in 2 overs) gave away 66 in six overs between them to let the momentum slip. Earlier. Shafali Verma (48 off 33) and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s (52 off 34) stroked filled innings entertained the Edgbaston crowd but the other batters disappointed. However, India lost their way in the last five overs with five wickets falling for 39 runs.
Brief scores
India 154-8 (H Kaur 52, S Verma 48; J Jonassen 4-22) lost to Australia 157-7 in 20 overs (A Gardner 52*, G Harris 37; R Thakur 4-18, D Sharma 2-24) by
three wickets
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