India women win 3rd T20I & beat Aussies 2-1 in T20I series , Mandhana shines
India began their three-format tour of Australia on a positive and commanding note, defeating the hosts by 17 runs in the opening T20 on Saturday. A magnificent batting display from Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues, backed by disciplined bowling, ensured a well-deserved victory. After winning the toss, captain Harmanpreet Kaur opted to bat first, but India suffered an early setback with the dismissal of Shafali Verma for just 7. Continuing her lean run in the series, Shafali mistimed a lofted shot off Kim Garth outside off stump and was comfortably caught by Annabel Sutherland. From there, Mandhana and Rodrigues steadied the innings with a brilliant and composed partnership. The duo stitched together a superb 121-run stand for the second wicket, shifting the momentum firmly in India’s favour. They attacked the bowlers with confidence, notably smashing three boundaries off Sophie Molineux in the sixth over. Mandhana looked particularly aggressive, producing a stunning sweep o...