India women’s cricket team lost to Australia by three wickets on debut at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Friday, July 29.
Earlier, Shafali Verma and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s stroked-filled innings helped India put up 154 for eight against Australia.
Shafali (48 off 33 balls) and Harmanpreet ( 52 off 34 balls) took India to a decent total which might not be enough against a champion side like Australia.
India opener Smriti Mandhana, facing pacer Darcie Brown on the first ball of the competition, marked the beginning of a pivotal point in women’s cricket with the game aiming to reach the Olympics via the CWG route.
The Harmanpreet-led side lost their way in the last five overs with five wickets falling for 39 runs.
Smriti played some elegant shots during her short stay before Shafali and Harmanpreet took the attack to the Australian bowlers.
Harmanpreet got going with a paddle sweep off spinner Ashleigh Gardner. She targeted the spinners like she usually does. Her only six of the innings came in the 20th over when she stepped out to dispatch Jess Jonassen over long on before a sweep brought her seventh 50 in T20 Internationals.
The lack of support from the other end hurt India’s chances of putting up a formidable total with the lower middle-order hardly contributing. Having said that, the game was a lot more than the numbers and statistics on a balmy Friday afternoon.
