Australia women level series after 19-Run Win as Harmanpreet creates World Record

 

Indian women suffered a 19-run defeat in the second match of the Women’s T20I series against Australia at the Manuka Oval in Canberra, allowing the hosts to draw level after India had clinched the opening game via the Duckworth-Lewis method. With the series now tied, the decisive third match will determine the winner.

Despite the loss, it was a historic day for Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who etched her name in the record books by becoming the most-capped player in women’s international cricket. Leading India at the toss, Harmanpreet played her 356th international match across formats, surpassing New Zealand stalwart Suzie Bates’ previous record of 355 matches.

Out of her 356 appearances, Harmanpreet has featured in 6 Tests, 161 ODIs and 189 T20Is. The experienced skipper has accumulated 200 runs in Tests, 4,409 in ODIs and 3,784 in T20Is, taking her overall tally to an impressive 8,393 international runs. She also boasts eight centuries and 38 half-centuries, along with 75 wickets across formats (12 in Tests, 31 in ODIs and 32 in T20Is), underlining her all-round impact and longevity.

However, the landmark achievement could not be complemented with a victory as Australia’s formidable opening duo of Georgia Voll and Beth Mooney laid the foundation for a commanding total. Voll played a scintillating knock of 88 off 57 balls, while Mooney contributed a fluent 46 off 39 deliveries. The pair stitched together a dominant 128-run partnership in just 14.5 overs, putting India firmly on the back foot. A late burst of wickets from the Indian bowlers curtailed the scoring, but Australia still managed a competitive 163 for 5 in 20 overs.

Chasing 164, India began on a promising note with openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma providing a brisk start, racing to 50 within the powerplay. Shafali scored a lively 29, while Mandhana added 31 before their dismissals triggered a middle-order collapse. Harmanpreet tried to anchor the innings with a composed 36, but the lack of support from the rest of the batting lineup proved costly. Jemimah Rodrigues (4), Richa Ghosh (19), Amanjot Kaur (3) and Deepti Sharma (0) failed to make meaningful contributions as wickets fell at regular intervals.

With the required run rate steadily climbing, India struggled to maintain momentum under pressure. They eventually finished on 144 for 9 in 20 overs, falling short by 19 runs. For Australia, Ashleigh Gardner delivered a clinical spell with three wickets, while Annabel Sutherland, Kim Garth and captain Sophie Molineux chipped in with two wickets each in a disciplined bowling performance.