Australia A Women complete 3-0 sweep over India A Women

Australia A Women completed a 3-0 unofficial T20I series sweep over India A Women after defending 168 for five to win the third match by seven runs in New Chandigarh on September 17. India A Women were bowled out for 161 with one delivery remaining after an encouraging opening partnership had placed the chase firmly in contention.

Half-centuries from Anika Learoyd and Courtney Webb provided the foundation for Australia A Women after they chose to bat. India A Women responded with an 84-run opening stand in 7.4 overs through Vrinda Dinesh and Tejal Hasabnis, but Australia A Women struck at key moments and India A’s innings ended just short of the target.

The result ensured Australia A Women finished the three-match T20 leg with a clean sweep. The sides are scheduled to continue the tour with three one-day matches and a one-off unofficial Test in Dharamsala.

Learoyd and Webb rebuild Australia A innings

Australia A Women began steadily after opting to bat, though both openers fell inside the powerplay. Learoyd and Webb then combined to restore the innings and put together a stand worth more than 100 runs, turning the visitors’ position around after the early wickets.

Learoyd made 61 from 42 balls, striking five fours and three sixes. Webb contributed 52 from 42 deliveries, with five boundaries and one six. Their scoring gave Australia A Women the platform to push towards a substantial total in the final phase of the innings.

Vaishnavi Sharma, the left-arm spinner, ended the major partnership when Webb was caught in the 17th over. Sayali Satghare then dismissed Learoyd in the 20th over. Australia A Women nevertheless closed on 168 for five from their 20 overs, leaving India A Women with a target of 169.

The total was built around the two half-centuries after the early loss of the openers. Learoyd and Webb’s partnership was decisive in giving Australia A Women enough runs to defend, particularly as the contest later tightened in the final stretch of India A Women’s chase.

India A start strongly before late collapse

India A Women made a positive start through Dinesh and Hasabnis. Their 84-run opening partnership arrived in 7.4 overs and gave the home side a strong base in pursuit of 169. Hasabnis made 42 before Sianna Ginger broke the stand.

Dinesh continued and brought up her half-century in the 11th over. However, India A Women lost captain Anushka Sharma in that same over, a wicket that interrupted the chase after the promising beginning.

Australia A Women added further pressure in the 14th over when Lilly Mills dismissed both Minnu Mani and Niki Prasad. Those two wickets created a double setback for India A Women and left the remaining batters with work to do in the closing overs.

India A Women then lost their final six wickets for 29 runs. The innings ended at 161 in 19.5 overs, with Australia A Women seven runs ahead. The narrow margin reflected the value of Australia A Women’s total and the importance of their wickets after India A Women’s fast start.

Tour moves on to Dharamsala

Australia A Women leave the T20 portion of the tour with all three matches won. India A Women will have another opportunity against the same opposition when the teams begin a three-match one-day series, followed by the one-off unofficial Test in Dharamsala.

For the final T20I, Learoyd and Webb supplied the defining batting contributions, while Ginger and Mills delivered crucial breakthroughs in the chase. India A Women showed their intent through Dinesh and Hasabnis at the top, but Australia A Women’s late control secured both the seven-run victory and the 3-0 series result.