Australia Women produced a disciplined all-round performance to defeat India Women by 19 runs in the second T20I at Manuka Oval, levelling the three-match series 1-1.
The hosts bounced back strongly after losing the opening encounter in Sydney, controlling the game with a dominant opening partnership and a clinical bowling display to set up a series decider in Adelaide on February 21.
Voll and Mooney power Australia to competitive total
After being sent in to bat, Australia built their innings around a commanding 128-run opening stand between Georgia Voll and Beth Mooney.
Voll starred with a fluent 88 off 57 balls, striking 11 boundaries and a six, anchoring the innings and earning Player of the Match honours. Mooney provided solid support with 46 off 39 deliveries, helping Australia post a challenging 163/5 in 20 overs.
Mooney also reached a personal milestone during the innings, surpassing former captain Meg Lanning to become Australia’s highest run-scorer in women’s T20 internationals, moving past 3,400 career runs.
For India, Arundhati Reddy was the most effective with the ball, finishing with 2/30, while Renuka Singh Thakur chipped in with one wicket.
India’s chase loses momentum after positive start
India started brightly in pursuit of 164, with openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana adding 57 for the first wicket. Verma scored a quick 29, while Mandhana contributed 31, but neither batter converted their start into a match-defining innings.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur attempted to steer the chase with a steady 36 off 30 balls, and Richa Ghosh added 19, but regular wickets and disciplined Australian bowling prevented the visitors from building sustained partnerships.
India eventually finished on 144/9, falling short by 19 runs.
Australia’s bowlers seal the match
Australia’s bowlers shared the workload effectively, with Ashleigh Gardner leading the attack with 3/22. Kim Garth, Annabel Sutherland, and captain Sophie Molineux each claimed two wickets to keep pressure on the Indian batting line-up throughout the chase.
The balanced bowling effort ensured the hosts defended their total comfortably and forced the series into a decider.
Series set for Adelaide showdown
With the series now tied at 1-1, both sides head to Adelaide Oval for the final T20I, where momentum and confidence will be key. Australia will take heart from their strong recovery, while India will look to regroup after failing to capitalise on a promising start in the chase.
The winner of Saturday’s clash will claim the three-match series.
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