With a commanding 171-run victory in their third one-day match on Sunday in Mackay, India A secured their first victory of the Australian tour. In her debut match of the trip, leg-spinner Priya Mishra took the lead and took five wickets to bowl Australia A out for 72. Nonetheless, Australia emerged victorious in both the T20s and the series, winning 2-1.
Upon being asked to bat first, India A amassed 243 for 9 thanks to helpful contributions from skipper Minnu Mani and Sajeevan Sajana down the order, as well as fifty-three from Tejal Hasabnis and 53 from Raghvi Bist. Hasabnis and Bist put on a vital 104-run partnership for the fourth wicket at 43 for 3, propelling India A to a respectable total. In their innings, each batted seven fours. Fast bowler Maitlan Brown scored three runs for Australia A, while off-spinner Charli Knott and Nicola Hancock both claimed two wickets.
Fast bowler S Yashasri dismissed opener Knott for a 12-ball 11 in the fourth over, giving Australia A’s pursuit a bad start. Meghna Singh took a following over from Captain Tahlia McGrath after she rattled her stumps. The hitters were then trapped in a web by Mishra, who got them out in 100 pitches or less.
With her opening delivery, the 20-year-old claimed a wicket and nabbed Maddy Darke for 22. After falling behind 48 for 2, Australia lost eight wickets for 24 runs in twenty-three overs when Mishra removed Hancock, Tess Flintoff, Kate Peterson, and wicketkeeper Nicole Faltum. In her five overs, Mishra recorded figures of 5 for 14.
McGrath acknowledged that Australia A was unprepared for some of Mishra’s techniques. After the game, she remarked, “Not the way we wanted to finish off the white-ball series.” “We were discussing being clinical before we came in, so I’m a little let down by that. We believed that, compared to the first two ODIs, the pitch turned a little bit more in favour of the spinners today.
“India batted very well, and for a while it seemed like we may reach the 300-mark. We were thus pleased with how we had dragged them back, but the bat had just not materialized. Don’t get me wrong; India bowled really well. The new leggie [Mishra] had some techniques that we maybe weren’t ready for, such quicks up front.”
On August 22, both teams will square off in an unofficial Test match, marking their final meeting of the trip.
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