Late power strikes from Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh proved not enough as Australia rode a half-century in Ellyse Perry’s masterclass
UPDATE – 11:23 PM, SAT – DECEMBER 17 22
Australian player Elise Perry celebrates her half-century at the Cricket Club of India (CCI) stadium in Mumbai during the T20 international series between India and Australia (PTI Photo)
Mumbai: Late power strikes from Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh proved not enough as Australia rode Ellyse Perry’s masterclass half-century to a seven-match series win in the fourth Women’s T20I here on Saturday.
Continuing her dream comeback, Perry struck a staggering 72 in 42 overs (7×4, 4×6), helping Australia hit 3 for 188 after being invited to bat. Visiting team captain Alyssa Healy withdrew after scoring 30 points with a calf injury.
In response, India took 5 off 181 in 20 overs, Harman Preet’s 30 for 46 and Richard’s 19 for 40 were not in vain.
World champions Australia thus won the five-match series as they took an unassailable 3-1 lead heading into the final T20I on Tuesday.
India were 49 for 3 in seven overs and needed 105 off 54 balls when Harmanpreet took on Megan Schutt.
The India captain then punished Heather Graham, breaking her four boundaries with five balls in the 13th over, producing 17 runs to resume the chase. But Harmanpreet was four runs off her half-century as India still needed 68 off 34 deliveries when Richa took over.
Needing 38 points in the last two overs, Richa knocked down Heather Graham twice in a row and followed it on the boundary. Defending 20 runs from the last inning, Megan Shutter’s experience came in handy as she pitched smartly and allowed just 12 runs.
Richa had just two good runs in the final and Schutt bowled brilliantly into her field. Australia’s captain, Alyssa Healy, was dealt a heavy blow when she strained her calf muscle while hitting the ball.
Healy hit 30 off 21 balls with six fours, but on the penultimate ball of the power play she appeared to strain her calf muscle trying to pull Deepti Sharma.
After the power play, she limped off the field and didn’t return to the strike zone. In Healy’s absence, McGrath led the charge while Beth Mooney donned the goalkeeper’s gloves. Australia were actually three wickets behind on 46 runs after Talia McGrath was knocked out by Radha Yadav in the seventh innings.
Brief score: Australia 188/3 in 20 overs (Ellyse Perry 72 no; Deepti Sharma 2/35) bt India 181/5 in 20 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 46, Richa Ghosh 40 no; Ashleigh Gardner 2/20, Alana King 2 /twenty three).
