India Women, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, clinched a commanding victory in the opening game of the WT20I series, triumphing by nine wickets. This win not only positions them favourably for the upcoming match but also injects a vital surge of confidence after a disappointing 3-0 loss in the WODIs. The Indian Women’s openers showcased exceptional form, crafting a formidable 137-run partnership in the previous encounter. Replicating such a feat might be challenging, yet the hosts boast a robust middle-order capable of amassing substantial runs.

Titas Sadhu, introduced as the first change in the inaugural WT20I, could potentially lead the bowling attack, potentially replacing Pooja Vastrakar. Vastrakar’s costly performance without any wickets places her position in jeopardy. India Women have secured victory in three of their last five WT20I matches and strive for a third consecutive win in the series.

3 India players to watch out for:

Shafali Verma 

Shafali Verma, in scintillating form, notched an unbeaten 64 off 44 balls during Friday’s clash, emerging as India Women’s top scorer against Australia Women. Her explosive performance fuelled a remarkable 137-run partnership at the DY Patil Stadium, steering her team to a resounding victory. Despite missing the previous two ODIs, Shafali showcased her prowess, securing her fifth T20I half-century with six boundaries and three massive sixes, displaying dominant strokes across the ground.

Titas Sadhu

Titas Sadhu’s exceptional performance, claiming four wickets for 17 runs, was instrumental in India restricting Australia to a mere 141 runs. Sadhu’s standout display marked a career-best achievement, standing as the second-best bowling figures by an Indian against Australia in T20Is, trailing only behind Jhulan Goswami’s 5 for 11 recorded over a decade ago.

Smriti Mandhana

Smriti Mandhana showcased her prowess, securing her 27th half-century and seventh against Australia, embellishing her innings with seven boundaries and a maximum. Mandhana joined skipper Harmanpreet Kaur as the second Indian batter, and sixth overall in women’s T20Is, to surpass the 3,000-run milestone, marking a significant achievement in her career.