Highlights, Australia vs India, Women’s T20 World Cup: Poonam Stars in India's Stunning Win
India Women vs Australia Women 1st T20 live score and latest Update of ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 match at News18.com that includes ball by ball commentary, latest cricket score and many more.
Harmanpreet Kaur: Great feeling, first game of the tournament and we were looking to win. Very happy for my team. We knew this track will do something. We knew if we could get 140, our bowlers can defend it. This track was not easy to bat on. A partnership between Jemi and Deepti was very crucial for us. 140 was defendable, I'm happy we got 133. A bowler like Poonam, she'll lead the bowling from the front. I'm happy, because she was going through injuries. It was a great comeback for her. Our team is looking very nice. Earlier we were depending on 2-3 players, now we're playing as a team.
16:51 (IST)
Meg Lanning: Verma put us under the pump early but our bowlers pulled things back well. The pitch wasn't bouncing a lot but it was consistent. We thought about playing straight but we didn't execute it. The lack of partnerships through the middle. Alyssa was going well but unfortunately she couldn't build partnerships and India bowled well. India outplayed us a little bit. It's not an ideal start but if we win the remaining games we'll go through.
16:45 (IST)
Poonam Yadav: My teammates supported me. I want to thank my teammates and the physio for helping me with my recovery from injury. I've been bowling well and just wanted to continue that. We want to perform well as a team, we needed it today. This is the third time I've not got a hat trick. But god is great, I'm happy to bowl like this after an injury.
16:41 (IST)
From 76 for 3 to 115 all out. Australia collapse to India's spin web, led by Poonam Yadav. The leggie was stunning with 4 for 19 from her four overs. Don't forget Shikha Pandey, who finished with 3 for 14. Only two double-digit scores in Australia's line-up. India begin with a stunning win.
16:39 (IST)
INDIA WIN! A run out to end proceedings, India win by 17 runs, beat defending champions Australia in the tournament opener. What a start to the tournament!
16:36 (IST)
WICKET! End of Australia's hopes. Gardner miscues a full toss back to Shikha Pandey, is out caught and bowled. 20 off 4 for the last pair. Australia close to defeat.
16:32 (IST)
Equation: 21 runs from six balls. Gardner not on strike as well, so it's advantage India.
16:30 (IST)
WICKET! Australia desperate for runs and come back for a non existant second run. Jemimah with the throw from deep mid wicket and Deepti the bowler does the rest. Kimmince gone. Australia need 25 in 8.
16:27 (IST)
Dramatic event in that over from Poonam. She gets Gardner bowled, but the ball pitched twice before the crease so it's a no ball. Poonam still concedes only four from that over. Australia need 27 from 12.
16:20 (IST)
WICKET! Superb keeping from Bhatia gets Sutherland. Standing up to medium pace of Shikha Pandey, gathers it from outside off and hits the stumps. Australia need 32 from 21 with three wickets in hand.
16:17 (IST)
Gardner smashes Gayakwad for a big six into the stands, keeps Australia's hopes alive. They need 33 from 24 after the 9-run over.
16:08 (IST)
WICKET! Poonam spinning a web around Australia. Another wrong one, Jonassen looks tosweep and gets a slight bottom edge. Bhatia takes it well, and that's another massive wicket for India. Superb stuff from Poonam, Australia 82 for 6.
16:05 (IST)
Five runs from Reddy's third over, Australia 81 for 5. They need 52 from 42. A small partnership is what they need now.
16:02 (IST)
CATCH DROPPED to deny a hat trick! Poonam Yadav so so unlucky there. Keeper Tanya Bhatia puts down Jonnasen first ball. Once again the googly, almost got the wicket. How costly will that be in the bigger scheme of things?
16:00 (IST)
WICKET! Poonam on a hat trick, Ellyse Perry gone first ball! Once again a superb googly, Perry came down the track and missed it, the ball spun in and hit her leg stump. Australia in trouble.
15:58 (IST)
WICKET! Once again, Poonam concedes a boundary and then gets a wicket. A lovely googly to the left-handed Haynes, who charges down the track and misses. Out stumped. Australia 76/4.
15:56 (IST)
Arundhati Reddy comes back for another over after conceding 15 in her first. A much improved over this time around as she gives only 4.
15:51 (IST)
WICKET! Poonam Yadav strikes, gets the big wicket of Healy one ball after she reaches her half-century. Poonam was struggling for rhythm in the over, bowling full tosses. Healy got to her fifty with a six but falls the very next ball, chipping one straight back to the bowler. Australia 67/3.
15:46 (IST)
WICKET! Left-arm spinner Gayakwad gets Australia captain Lanning. She came down the track and got a nick, which the keeper held on well. There was a stumping chance as well, but she was caught behind anyway. Lovely ball, that.
15:42 (IST)
A potentially game changing over from Arundhati Reddy. 15 runs from it, including three boundaries. Australia well on track once again after a few silent overs.
15:31 (IST)
WICKET! Shikha Pandey gets Beth Mooney. She never got going today. Width on offer and she cuts it straight to point. Mooney goes for 6 off 12, Australia 32/1.
15:25 (IST)
Shikha Pandey bowls the fourth over, the first from a pacer. Healy has scored 22 off 17, while Mooney has made 2. Australia 25 for no loss in 4 overs. India have not allowed Australia to run away yet, but they need wickets.
15:23 (IST)
India absolutely waste a review in an lbw appeal. Ball pitched way outside leg, but Deepti Sharma was convinced and wastes a review. Australia 21/0 in the fourth over.
15:16 (IST)
Healy is leading Australia's charge. They've scored 17, off which Healy has made 15. India a little sloppy on the field already, conceding overthrows. They need a wicket desperately.
16:54 (IST)
Harmanpreet Kaur: Great feeling, first game of the tournament and we were looking to win. Very happy for my team. We knew this track will do something. We knew if we could get 140, our bowlers can defend it. This track was not easy to bat on. A partnership between Jemi and Deepti was very crucial for us. 140 was defendable, I'm happy we got 133. A bowler like Poonam, she'll lead the bowling from the front. I'm happy, because she was going through injuries. It was a great comeback for her. Our team is looking very nice. Earlier we were depending on 2-3 players, now we're playing as a team.
16:51 (IST)
Meg Lanning: Verma put us under the pump early but our bowlers pulled things back well. The pitch wasn't bouncing a lot but it was consistent. We thought about playing straight but we didn't execute it. The lack of partnerships through the middle. Alyssa was going well but unfortunately she couldn't build partnerships and India bowled well. India outplayed us a little bit. It's not an ideal start but if we win the remaining games we'll go through.
16:45 (IST)
Poonam Yadav: My teammates supported me. I want to thank my teammates and the physio for helping me with my recovery from injury. I've been bowling well and just wanted to continue that. We want to perform well as a team, we needed it today. This is the third time I've not got a hat trick. But god is great, I'm happy to bowl like this after an injury.
16:41 (IST)
From 76 for 3 to 115 all out. Australia collapse to India's spin web, led by Poonam Yadav. The leggie was stunning with 4 for 19 from her four overs. Don't forget Shikha Pandey, who finished with 3 for 14. Only two double-digit scores in Australia's line-up. India begin with a stunning win.
16:39 (IST)
INDIA WIN! A run out to end proceedings, India win by 17 runs, beat defending champions Australia in the tournament opener. What a start to the tournament!
16:36 (IST)
WICKET! End of Australia's hopes. Gardner miscues a full toss back to Shikha Pandey, is out caught and bowled. 20 off 4 for the last pair. Australia close to defeat.
16:32 (IST)
Equation: 21 runs from six balls. Gardner not on strike as well, so it's advantage India.
16:30 (IST)
WICKET! Australia desperate for runs and come back for a non existant second run. Jemimah with the throw from deep mid wicket and Deepti the bowler does the rest. Kimmince gone. Australia need 25 in 8.
16:27 (IST)
Dramatic event in that over from Poonam. She gets Gardner bowled, but the ball pitched twice before the crease so it's a no ball. Poonam still concedes only four from that over. Australia need 27 from 12.
16:20 (IST)
WICKET! Superb keeping from Bhatia gets Sutherland. Standing up to medium pace of Shikha Pandey, gathers it from outside off and hits the stumps. Australia need 32 from 21 with three wickets in hand.
16:17 (IST)
Gardner smashes Gayakwad for a big six into the stands, keeps Australia's hopes alive. They need 33 from 24 after the 9-run over.
16:08 (IST)
WICKET! Poonam spinning a web around Australia. Another wrong one, Jonassen looks tosweep and gets a slight bottom edge. Bhatia takes it well, and that's another massive wicket for India. Superb stuff from Poonam, Australia 82 for 6.
16:05 (IST)
Five runs from Reddy's third over, Australia 81 for 5. They need 52 from 42. A small partnership is what they need now.
16:02 (IST)
CATCH DROPPED to deny a hat trick! Poonam Yadav so so unlucky there. Keeper Tanya Bhatia puts down Jonnasen first ball. Once again the googly, almost got the wicket. How costly will that be in the bigger scheme of things?
16:00 (IST)
WICKET! Poonam on a hat trick, Ellyse Perry gone first ball! Once again a superb googly, Perry came down the track and missed it, the ball spun in and hit her leg stump. Australia in trouble.
15:58 (IST)
WICKET! Once again, Poonam concedes a boundary and then gets a wicket. A lovely googly to the left-handed Haynes, who charges down the track and misses. Out stumped. Australia 76/4.
15:56 (IST)
Arundhati Reddy comes back for another over after conceding 15 in her first. A much improved over this time around as she gives only 4.
15:51 (IST)
WICKET! Poonam Yadav strikes, gets the big wicket of Healy one ball after she reaches her half-century. Poonam was struggling for rhythm in the over, bowling full tosses. Healy got to her fifty with a six but falls the very next ball, chipping one straight back to the bowler. Australia 67/3.
15:46 (IST)
WICKET! Left-arm spinner Gayakwad gets Australia captain Lanning. She came down the track and got a nick, which the keeper held on well. There was a stumping chance as well, but she was caught behind anyway. Lovely ball, that.
15:42 (IST)
A potentially game changing over from Arundhati Reddy. 15 runs from it, including three boundaries. Australia well on track once again after a few silent overs.
15:31 (IST)
WICKET! Shikha Pandey gets Beth Mooney. She never got going today. Width on offer and she cuts it straight to point. Mooney goes for 6 off 12, Australia 32/1.
15:25 (IST)
Shikha Pandey bowls the fourth over, the first from a pacer. Healy has scored 22 off 17, while Mooney has made 2. Australia 25 for no loss in 4 overs. India have not allowed Australia to run away yet, but they need wickets.
15:23 (IST)
India absolutely waste a review in an lbw appeal. Ball pitched way outside leg, but Deepti Sharma was convinced and wastes a review. Australia 21/0 in the fourth over.
15:16 (IST)
Healy is leading Australia's charge. They've scored 17, off which Healy has made 15. India a little sloppy on the field already, conceding overthrows. They need a wicket desperately.
16:59 (IST)
That's it from the live coverage. India begin with a win, defeating defending champions Australia. That sets up the tournament nicely. Thanks for joining us.
16:54 (IST)
Harmanpreet Kaur: Great feeling, first game of the tournament and we were looking to win. Very happy for my team. We knew this track will do something. We knew if we could get 140, our bowlers can defend it. This track was not easy to bat on. A partnership between Jemi and Deepti was very crucial for us. 140 was defendable, I'm happy we got 133. A bowler like Poonam, she'll lead the bowling from the front. I'm happy, because she was going through injuries. It was a great comeback for her. Our team is looking very nice. Earlier we were depending on 2-3 players, now we're playing as a team.
16:51 (IST)
Meg Lanning: Verma put us under the pump early but our bowlers pulled things back well. The pitch wasn't bouncing a lot but it was consistent. We thought about playing straight but we didn't execute it. The lack of partnerships through the middle. Alyssa was going well but unfortunately she couldn't build partnerships and India bowled well. India outplayed us a little bit. It's not an ideal start but if we win the remaining games we'll go through.
16:45 (IST)
Poonam Yadav: My teammates supported me. I want to thank my teammates and the physio for helping me with my recovery from injury. I've been bowling well and just wanted to continue that. We want to perform well as a team, we needed it today. This is the third time I've not got a hat trick. But god is great, I'm happy to bowl like this after an injury.
16:41 (IST)
From 76 for 3 to 115 all out. Australia collapse to India's spin web, led by Poonam Yadav. The leggie was stunning with 4 for 19 from her four overs. Don't forget Shikha Pandey, who finished with 3 for 14. Only two double-digit scores in Australia's line-up. India begin with a stunning win.
16:39 (IST)
INDIA WIN! A run out to end proceedings, India win by 17 runs, beat defending champions Australia in the tournament opener. What a start to the tournament!
16:36 (IST)
WICKET! End of Australia's hopes. Gardner miscues a full toss back to Shikha Pandey, is out caught and bowled. 20 off 4 for the last pair. Australia close to defeat.
16:32 (IST)
Equation: 21 runs from six balls. Gardner not on strike as well, so it's advantage India.
16:30 (IST)
WICKET! Australia desperate for runs and come back for a non existant second run. Jemimah with the throw from deep mid wicket and Deepti the bowler does the rest. Kimmince gone. Australia need 25 in 8.
16:27 (IST)
Dramatic event in that over from Poonam. She gets Gardner bowled, but the ball pitched twice before the crease so it's a no ball. Poonam still concedes only four from that over. Australia need 27 from 12.
16:22 (IST)
Very good over from Pandey there, just 2 from it. Australia need 31 from the last three. Gardner the key.
16:20 (IST)
WICKET! Superb keeping from Bhatia gets Sutherland. Standing up to medium pace of Shikha Pandey, gathers it from outside off and hits the stumps. Australia need 32 from 21 with three wickets in hand.
16:17 (IST)
Gardner smashes Gayakwad for a big six into the stands, keeps Australia's hopes alive. They need 33 from 24 after the 9-run over.
16:14 (IST)
9 runs from Arundhati Reddy's final over, she finishes with 0-33. Gardner is the key here.
16:09 (IST)
Just one run from her over, Australia need 51 from 36.
16:08 (IST)
WICKET! Poonam spinning a web around Australia. Another wrong one, Jonassen looks tosweep and gets a slight bottom edge. Bhatia takes it well, and that's another massive wicket for India. Superb stuff from Poonam, Australia 82 for 6.
16:05 (IST)
Five runs from Reddy's third over, Australia 81 for 5. They need 52 from 42. A small partnership is what they need now.
16:02 (IST)
CATCH DROPPED to deny a hat trick! Poonam Yadav so so unlucky there. Keeper Tanya Bhatia puts down Jonnasen first ball. Once again the googly, almost got the wicket. How costly will that be in the bigger scheme of things?
16:00 (IST)
WICKET! Poonam on a hat trick, Ellyse Perry gone first ball! Once again a superb googly, Perry came down the track and missed it, the ball spun in and hit her leg stump. Australia in trouble.
15:58 (IST)
WICKET! Once again, Poonam concedes a boundary and then gets a wicket. A lovely googly to the left-handed Haynes, who charges down the track and misses. Out stumped. Australia 76/4.
15:56 (IST)
Arundhati Reddy comes back for another over after conceding 15 in her first. A much improved over this time around as she gives only 4.
15:51 (IST)
WICKET! Poonam Yadav strikes, gets the big wicket of Healy one ball after she reaches her half-century. Poonam was struggling for rhythm in the over, bowling full tosses. Healy got to her fifty with a six but falls the very next ball, chipping one straight back to the bowler. Australia 67/3.
15:46 (IST)
WICKET! Left-arm spinner Gayakwad gets Australia captain Lanning. She came down the track and got a nick, which the keeper held on well. There was a stumping chance as well, but she was caught behind anyway. Lovely ball, that.
15:42 (IST)
A potentially game changing over from Arundhati Reddy. 15 runs from it, including three boundaries. Australia well on track once again after a few silent overs.
15:38 (IST)
37/1 after 7 overs. India had a chance to run out Healy in that over but couldn't get a direct hit in. How costly will such misses be?
15:31 (IST)
WICKET! Shikha Pandey gets Beth Mooney. She never got going today. Width on offer and she cuts it straight to point. Mooney goes for 6 off 12, Australia 32/1.
15:28 (IST)
Australia continue to be steady, at 30/0 in 5 overs. India still searching for wickets, unsuccessfully.
15:25 (IST)
Shikha Pandey bowls the fourth over, the first from a pacer. Healy has scored 22 off 17, while Mooney has made 2. Australia 25 for no loss in 4 overs. India have not allowed Australia to run away yet, but they need wickets.
15:23 (IST)
India absolutely waste a review in an lbw appeal. Ball pitched way outside leg, but Deepti Sharma was convinced and wastes a review. Australia 21/0 in the fourth over.
15:16 (IST)
Healy is leading Australia's charge. They've scored 17, off which Healy has made 15. India a little sloppy on the field already, conceding overthrows. They need a wicket desperately.
INDIA WIN! A run out to end proceedings, India win by 17 runs, beat defending champions Australia in the tournament opener. What a start to the tournament!
PREVIEW: The Indian women's cricket team will be aiming for much needed consistency when it opens its bid for an elusive ICC trophy with the T20 World Cup opener against defending champions Australia here on Friday.
Inconsistency has plagued India for a long time and a classic example was their performance in the recently held tri-series in Australia where they reached the final.
They won and lost a game against the more accomplished England and Australia before losing to the mighty hosts, who have won the T20 World Cup a record four times out of the six editions held so far.
India's middle and lower-order needs to do a lot better than what it has been doing to beat the likes of Australia and England in the knock-out stages, something that has been been acknowledged star opener Smriti Mandhana.
The team needs to ensure that the frequent middle-order collapses are not repeated in the showpiece event.
The southpaw and 16-year-old Shafali Verma will have to get India off to a flying start more often than not in the competition.
Expectations are high from skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who too has suffered from inconsistency and would like to correct that, beginning with the opener against Australia.
It remains to be seen if the other 16-year-old in the squad, Richa Ghosh, gets to play regularly as she made her international debut only in the final of the tri-series.
In the bowling department, they have heavily relied on spinners with not many quality pacers to choose from.
Shikha Pandey, who is often the lone pacer in the playing eleven full of spinners, has the crucial task of providing early breakthroughs.
"As an opening bowler, I'm obviously thinking about the early breakthroughs and that doesn't change, said Pandey, India's fifth-highest wicket-taker in T20s.
"In the first six, we are trying to take wickets and then it's about containing the batters before coming back and bowling the best you can in the death overs.
"I would say 150 is now a par score in a T20 game, so the first six overs batters actually get a lot of freedom and try to hit as many runs as possible," she added.
The squad is expected to reach the last four as it had two years ago but the growing women's game in India will get a further fillip only if they go all the way.
Long gone are the days when women cricketers were a neglected lot and have all the facilities at their disposal.
Head coach W V Raman thinks his team is one of the title favourites.
"Since (2018 World T20) then there has been a lot of improvement, in terms of fitness, agility on the field and their approach to batting," Raman was quoted as saying in ESPNcricinfo.
They take on Australia, who could not have asked for a better build-up to the tournament than winning the preceding tri-series.
However, they suffered a big blow on the eve of the tournament opener as their lead pacer Tayla Vlaeminck, who had troubled the Indian batters in the tri-series with extra pace, was ruled out of the competition due to a foot injury. Off-spinner Molly Strano was named her replacement.
"There's no one quite the same as Tayla so we will have to slightly tweak how we are going to go about it," said captain Meg Lanning.
"But generally our plans are pretty flexible anyway, so we don't feel like it's going to be too much of a disadvantage," she added.
Highlights, Australia vs India, Women’s T20 World Cup: Poonam Stars in India's Stunning Win
India Women vs Australia Women 1st T20 live score and latest Update of ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 match at News18.com that includes ball by ball commentary, latest cricket score and many more.
India Women vs Australia Women (T20)
CONCLUDED
AUSW vs INDW Cricket Scorecard (T20)
Match 1 T20, Sydney Showground Stadium, Sydney, 21 February, 2020
India Women
132/4
(20.0) RR 6.6
Australia Women
115/10
(19.5) RR 5.79
Live blog
HIGHLIGHTS
Harmanpreet Kaur: Great feeling, first game of the tournament and we were looking to win. Very happy for my team. We knew this track will do something. We knew if we could get 140, our bowlers can defend it. This track was not easy to bat on. A partnership between Jemi and Deepti was very crucial for us. 140 was defendable, I'm happy we got 133. A bowler like Poonam, she'll lead the bowling from the front. I'm happy, because she was going through injuries. It was a great comeback for her. Our team is looking very nice. Earlier we were depending on 2-3 players, now we're playing as a team.
Meg Lanning: Verma put us under the pump early but our bowlers pulled things back well. The pitch wasn't bouncing a lot but it was consistent. We thought about playing straight but we didn't execute it. The lack of partnerships through the middle. Alyssa was going well but unfortunately she couldn't build partnerships and India bowled well. India outplayed us a little bit. It's not an ideal start but if we win the remaining games we'll go through.
Poonam Yadav: My teammates supported me. I want to thank my teammates and the physio for helping me with my recovery from injury. I've been bowling well and just wanted to continue that. We want to perform well as a team, we needed it today. This is the third time I've not got a hat trick. But god is great, I'm happy to bowl like this after an injury.
From 76 for 3 to 115 all out. Australia collapse to India's spin web, led by Poonam Yadav. The leggie was stunning with 4 for 19 from her four overs. Don't forget Shikha Pandey, who finished with 3 for 14. Only two double-digit scores in Australia's line-up. India begin with a stunning win.
INDIA WIN! A run out to end proceedings, India win by 17 runs, beat defending champions Australia in the tournament opener. What a start to the tournament!
WICKET! End of Australia's hopes. Gardner miscues a full toss back to Shikha Pandey, is out caught and bowled. 20 off 4 for the last pair. Australia close to defeat.
Equation: 21 runs from six balls. Gardner not on strike as well, so it's advantage India.
WICKET! Australia desperate for runs and come back for a non existant second run. Jemimah with the throw from deep mid wicket and Deepti the bowler does the rest. Kimmince gone. Australia need 25 in 8.
Dramatic event in that over from Poonam. She gets Gardner bowled, but the ball pitched twice before the crease so it's a no ball. Poonam still concedes only four from that over. Australia need 27 from 12.
WICKET! Superb keeping from Bhatia gets Sutherland. Standing up to medium pace of Shikha Pandey, gathers it from outside off and hits the stumps. Australia need 32 from 21 with three wickets in hand.
Gardner smashes Gayakwad for a big six into the stands, keeps Australia's hopes alive. They need 33 from 24 after the 9-run over.
WICKET! Poonam spinning a web around Australia. Another wrong one, Jonassen looks tosweep and gets a slight bottom edge. Bhatia takes it well, and that's another massive wicket for India. Superb stuff from Poonam, Australia 82 for 6.
Five runs from Reddy's third over, Australia 81 for 5. They need 52 from 42. A small partnership is what they need now.
CATCH DROPPED to deny a hat trick! Poonam Yadav so so unlucky there. Keeper Tanya Bhatia puts down Jonnasen first ball. Once again the googly, almost got the wicket. How costly will that be in the bigger scheme of things?
WICKET! Poonam on a hat trick, Ellyse Perry gone first ball! Once again a superb googly, Perry came down the track and missed it, the ball spun in and hit her leg stump. Australia in trouble.
WICKET! Once again, Poonam concedes a boundary and then gets a wicket. A lovely googly to the left-handed Haynes, who charges down the track and misses. Out stumped. Australia 76/4.
Arundhati Reddy comes back for another over after conceding 15 in her first. A much improved over this time around as she gives only 4.
WICKET! Poonam Yadav strikes, gets the big wicket of Healy one ball after she reaches her half-century. Poonam was struggling for rhythm in the over, bowling full tosses. Healy got to her fifty with a six but falls the very next ball, chipping one straight back to the bowler. Australia 67/3.
WICKET! Left-arm spinner Gayakwad gets Australia captain Lanning. She came down the track and got a nick, which the keeper held on well. There was a stumping chance as well, but she was caught behind anyway. Lovely ball, that.
A potentially game changing over from Arundhati Reddy. 15 runs from it, including three boundaries. Australia well on track once again after a few silent overs.
WICKET! Shikha Pandey gets Beth Mooney. She never got going today. Width on offer and she cuts it straight to point. Mooney goes for 6 off 12, Australia 32/1.
Shikha Pandey bowls the fourth over, the first from a pacer. Healy has scored 22 off 17, while Mooney has made 2. Australia 25 for no loss in 4 overs. India have not allowed Australia to run away yet, but they need wickets.
India absolutely waste a review in an lbw appeal. Ball pitched way outside leg, but Deepti Sharma was convinced and wastes a review. Australia 21/0 in the fourth over.
Healy is leading Australia's charge. They've scored 17, off which Healy has made 15. India a little sloppy on the field already, conceding overthrows. They need a wicket desperately.
16:59 (IST)
That's it from the live coverage. India begin with a win, defeating defending champions Australia. That sets up the tournament nicely. Thanks for joining us.
16:54 (IST)
Harmanpreet Kaur: Great feeling, first game of the tournament and we were looking to win. Very happy for my team. We knew this track will do something. We knew if we could get 140, our bowlers can defend it. This track was not easy to bat on. A partnership between Jemi and Deepti was very crucial for us. 140 was defendable, I'm happy we got 133. A bowler like Poonam, she'll lead the bowling from the front. I'm happy, because she was going through injuries. It was a great comeback for her. Our team is looking very nice. Earlier we were depending on 2-3 players, now we're playing as a team.
16:51 (IST)
Meg Lanning: Verma put us under the pump early but our bowlers pulled things back well. The pitch wasn't bouncing a lot but it was consistent. We thought about playing straight but we didn't execute it. The lack of partnerships through the middle. Alyssa was going well but unfortunately she couldn't build partnerships and India bowled well. India outplayed us a little bit. It's not an ideal start but if we win the remaining games we'll go through.
16:45 (IST)
Poonam Yadav: My teammates supported me. I want to thank my teammates and the physio for helping me with my recovery from injury. I've been bowling well and just wanted to continue that. We want to perform well as a team, we needed it today. This is the third time I've not got a hat trick. But god is great, I'm happy to bowl like this after an injury.
16:41 (IST)
From 76 for 3 to 115 all out. Australia collapse to India's spin web, led by Poonam Yadav. The leggie was stunning with 4 for 19 from her four overs. Don't forget Shikha Pandey, who finished with 3 for 14. Only two double-digit scores in Australia's line-up. India begin with a stunning win.
16:39 (IST)
INDIA WIN! A run out to end proceedings, India win by 17 runs, beat defending champions Australia in the tournament opener. What a start to the tournament!
16:36 (IST)
WICKET! End of Australia's hopes. Gardner miscues a full toss back to Shikha Pandey, is out caught and bowled. 20 off 4 for the last pair. Australia close to defeat.
16:32 (IST)
Equation: 21 runs from six balls. Gardner not on strike as well, so it's advantage India.
16:30 (IST)
WICKET! Australia desperate for runs and come back for a non existant second run. Jemimah with the throw from deep mid wicket and Deepti the bowler does the rest. Kimmince gone. Australia need 25 in 8.
16:27 (IST)
Dramatic event in that over from Poonam. She gets Gardner bowled, but the ball pitched twice before the crease so it's a no ball. Poonam still concedes only four from that over. Australia need 27 from 12.
16:22 (IST)
Very good over from Pandey there, just 2 from it. Australia need 31 from the last three. Gardner the key.
16:20 (IST)
WICKET! Superb keeping from Bhatia gets Sutherland. Standing up to medium pace of Shikha Pandey, gathers it from outside off and hits the stumps. Australia need 32 from 21 with three wickets in hand.
16:17 (IST)
Gardner smashes Gayakwad for a big six into the stands, keeps Australia's hopes alive. They need 33 from 24 after the 9-run over.
16:14 (IST)
9 runs from Arundhati Reddy's final over, she finishes with 0-33. Gardner is the key here.
16:09 (IST)
Just one run from her over, Australia need 51 from 36.
16:08 (IST)
WICKET! Poonam spinning a web around Australia. Another wrong one, Jonassen looks tosweep and gets a slight bottom edge. Bhatia takes it well, and that's another massive wicket for India. Superb stuff from Poonam, Australia 82 for 6.
16:05 (IST)
Five runs from Reddy's third over, Australia 81 for 5. They need 52 from 42. A small partnership is what they need now.
16:02 (IST)
CATCH DROPPED to deny a hat trick! Poonam Yadav so so unlucky there. Keeper Tanya Bhatia puts down Jonnasen first ball. Once again the googly, almost got the wicket. How costly will that be in the bigger scheme of things?
16:00 (IST)
WICKET! Poonam on a hat trick, Ellyse Perry gone first ball! Once again a superb googly, Perry came down the track and missed it, the ball spun in and hit her leg stump. Australia in trouble.
15:58 (IST)
WICKET! Once again, Poonam concedes a boundary and then gets a wicket. A lovely googly to the left-handed Haynes, who charges down the track and misses. Out stumped. Australia 76/4.
15:56 (IST)
Arundhati Reddy comes back for another over after conceding 15 in her first. A much improved over this time around as she gives only 4.
15:51 (IST)
WICKET! Poonam Yadav strikes, gets the big wicket of Healy one ball after she reaches her half-century. Poonam was struggling for rhythm in the over, bowling full tosses. Healy got to her fifty with a six but falls the very next ball, chipping one straight back to the bowler. Australia 67/3.
15:46 (IST)
WICKET! Left-arm spinner Gayakwad gets Australia captain Lanning. She came down the track and got a nick, which the keeper held on well. There was a stumping chance as well, but she was caught behind anyway. Lovely ball, that.
15:42 (IST)
A potentially game changing over from Arundhati Reddy. 15 runs from it, including three boundaries. Australia well on track once again after a few silent overs.
15:38 (IST)
37/1 after 7 overs. India had a chance to run out Healy in that over but couldn't get a direct hit in. How costly will such misses be?
15:31 (IST)
WICKET! Shikha Pandey gets Beth Mooney. She never got going today. Width on offer and she cuts it straight to point. Mooney goes for 6 off 12, Australia 32/1.
15:28 (IST)
Australia continue to be steady, at 30/0 in 5 overs. India still searching for wickets, unsuccessfully.
15:25 (IST)
Shikha Pandey bowls the fourth over, the first from a pacer. Healy has scored 22 off 17, while Mooney has made 2. Australia 25 for no loss in 4 overs. India have not allowed Australia to run away yet, but they need wickets.
15:23 (IST)
India absolutely waste a review in an lbw appeal. Ball pitched way outside leg, but Deepti Sharma was convinced and wastes a review. Australia 21/0 in the fourth over.
15:16 (IST)
Healy is leading Australia's charge. They've scored 17, off which Healy has made 15. India a little sloppy on the field already, conceding overthrows. They need a wicket desperately.
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LATEST UPDATE:
INDIA WIN! A run out to end proceedings, India win by 17 runs, beat defending champions Australia in the tournament opener. What a start to the tournament!
PREVIEW: The Indian women's cricket team will be aiming for much needed consistency when it opens its bid for an elusive ICC trophy with the T20 World Cup opener against defending champions Australia here on Friday.
Inconsistency has plagued India for a long time and a classic example was their performance in the recently held tri-series in Australia where they reached the final.
They won and lost a game against the more accomplished England and Australia before losing to the mighty hosts, who have won the T20 World Cup a record four times out of the six editions held so far.
India's middle and lower-order needs to do a lot better than what it has been doing to beat the likes of Australia and England in the knock-out stages, something that has been been acknowledged star opener Smriti Mandhana.
The team needs to ensure that the frequent middle-order collapses are not repeated in the showpiece event.
The southpaw and 16-year-old Shafali Verma will have to get India off to a flying start more often than not in the competition.
Expectations are high from skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who too has suffered from inconsistency and would like to correct that, beginning with the opener against Australia.
It remains to be seen if the other 16-year-old in the squad, Richa Ghosh, gets to play regularly as she made her international debut only in the final of the tri-series.
In the bowling department, they have heavily relied on spinners with not many quality pacers to choose from.
Shikha Pandey, who is often the lone pacer in the playing eleven full of spinners, has the crucial task of providing early breakthroughs.
"As an opening bowler, I'm obviously thinking about the early breakthroughs and that doesn't change, said Pandey, India's fifth-highest wicket-taker in T20s.
"In the first six, we are trying to take wickets and then it's about containing the batters before coming back and bowling the best you can in the death overs.
"I would say 150 is now a par score in a T20 game, so the first six overs batters actually get a lot of freedom and try to hit as many runs as possible," she added.
The squad is expected to reach the last four as it had two years ago but the growing women's game in India will get a further fillip only if they go all the way.
Long gone are the days when women cricketers were a neglected lot and have all the facilities at their disposal.
Head coach W V Raman thinks his team is one of the title favourites.
"Since (2018 World T20) then there has been a lot of improvement, in terms of fitness, agility on the field and their approach to batting," Raman was quoted as saying in ESPNcricinfo.
They take on Australia, who could not have asked for a better build-up to the tournament than winning the preceding tri-series.
However, they suffered a big blow on the eve of the tournament opener as their lead pacer Tayla Vlaeminck, who had troubled the Indian batters in the tri-series with extra pace, was ruled out of the competition due to a foot injury. Off-spinner Molly Strano was named her replacement.
"There's no one quite the same as Tayla so we will have to slightly tweak how we are going to go about it," said captain Meg Lanning.
"But generally our plans are pretty flexible anyway, so we don't feel like it's going to be too much of a disadvantage," she added.
Squads:
Australia: Erin Burns, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes (vice-capt), Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Meg Lanning (capt), Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham.
India: Taniya Bhatia (wk), Harleen Deol, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Richa Ghosh, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Veda Krishnamurthy, Smriti Mandhana, Shikha Pandey, Arundhati Reddy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Shafali Verma, Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav.
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ICC CWC 2019 | Match 1 T20 | Sun, 23 Feb, 2020
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