Rain forced an early end with India comfortably ahead in the run chase in the first T20I against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Chasing 134, India were off to a flying start, reaching 50/1 after 5.1 overs when rain became strong enough for players to be taken off the field at SCG. The DLS par score was 29, and with 5.1 overs bowled, the match was just about deemed complete and India were winners by 21 runs to make a strong start to the multi-format series Down Under against the world No 1 side. Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana was unbeaten on a 17-ball 16 with Jemimah Rodrigues for company when the heavens opened up. Shafali Verma played her part with two sixes in an 11-ball 21 to fashion India’s comfortable lead on the DLS sheet. Earlier, Arundhati Reddy picked up four wickets as India produced a superb bowling and fielding effort after Harmanpreet Kaur opted to bowl first against Sophie Molineux’s Australia in her first match as captain. Australia were bowled out for 133 in 18 overs, with Reddy’s four-for complemented by Renuka Singh Thakur, Sree Charani and Deepti Sharma. Australia lost their last five wickets for just 12 runs to collapse with two overs to spare. Also Read | Why the multi-format tour of Australia is the real test for Harmanpreet Kaur’s India After the openers departed early, Ellyse Perry and Phoebe Litchfield steadied the ship with a brisk 41-run partnership for the third wicket but just when their association was starting to threaten India, Arundhati struck thanks to some great work by skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who ran back to cover a lot of ground and pulled off a brilliant catch diving sideways. It was a big break for India, and they had their tails up as they snared two more wickets in the form of Ashleigh Gardner (4) and Litchfield to reduce hosts Australia to 80 for five at the start of the 10th over. Georgia Wareham and Nicola Carey added 41 runs for the sixth wicket to halt India’s charge for a brief while before the former lofted a full toss to cover. Arundhati then came on to close the innings out with a cutter to Darcie Brown. Australia 133 all out in 18 overs (Georgia Wareham 30, Arundhati Reddy 4/22) lost to India 50/1 in 5.1 overs (Shafali Verma 21, Smriti Mandhana 16*) by 21 runs via DLS method
Arundhati Reddy stars in rain-hit SCG T20I as India begin Aus tour with win
