It took a 20-run tremendous over, smashed off first-gamer Heather Graham, for India to finish an unbeaten run throughout all-formats in 2022 for Australia after a T20 traditional in Mumbai.
India wanted to make historical past with a report chase in entrance of a sellout 45,000 followers after Aussie stars Beth Mooney (82no off 54) and Tahlia McGrath (70no off 51) produced Australia’s highest T20I partnership of 171 because the guests posted 1-187.
The hosts wanted 14 runs off the ultimate over to win, off the bowling of veteran seamer Megan Schutt, and tied the match with a 4 off the ultimate ball from Smriti Mandhana.
India then batted first within the tremendous over, with Graham, on debut, given the duty of bowling.
Mandhana smashed 13 off three balls and Richa Ghosh six off two, each clearing the boundary, whereas Harmanpreet Kaur was unbeaten on one as India took 20 runs off Graham – the perfect tremendous over in girls’s T20I historical past.
Alyssa Healy, Ashleigh Gardner and McGrath then managed simply 16 runs off Renuka Thakur in response, bringing to an finish Australia’s unbeaten run in 22 matches throughout all codecs in 2022.
Graham, who took 3-22 within the first 20 overs to star with the ball, mentioned she “definitely” didn’t assume she’d be bowling an excellent over in her first recreation, particularly in entrance of 45,000 folks.
“It was extremely challenging, the wicket just got better and the outfield was lightning quick with short boundaries, so as a bowler it wasn’t too fun,” she mentioned.
“I thought it might have been (Schutt) who got the nod to bowl, but (captain Alyssa Healy) looked over and said ‘you’re bowling the super over’.
“I’ve had some experience with that in the WBBL. Unfortunately, it didn’t come off today.
“We just take massive learnings from that … to battle through our bowling and take it to a super over.
“The crowd was unbelievable … we get about 3000 max in the WBBL, it was an amazing experience.
“I turned to Phoebe (Litchfield) who was on debut as well and I just said ‘this is insane’ and to soak it all in.”
Litchfield didn’t get a bat in her first recreation for Australia, as Mooney and McGrath pummelled 23 fours and a six of their report stand.
Their stand was 20 runs larger than the earlier report of 151 set by Mooney and Healy towards Bangladesh through the 2020 World Cup.
McGrath, who solely made her T20I debut in October 2021, has already featured in 4 of Australia’s seven highest 20I partnerships.
Before the sport captain Healy introduced Litchfield along with her cap, whereas McGrath handed Graham hers.
They changed Jess Jonassen, who has flown house with a hamstring harm, and Grace Harris (sickness) within the Australian XI.
The closing three video games of the collection can be performed at Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium.
