Updated March 8th, 2020 at 15:40 IST
Ind vs Aus LIVE updates | Australia inching closer to their fifth WWT20 title
The Indian women's team will have to overcome big match pressure as it aims to exorcise the ghosts of the past in the T20 World Cup final against habitual winners Australia in front of a record crowd
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
The Indian women's team will have to overcome big match pressure as it aims to exorcise the ghosts of the past in the T20 World Cup final against habitual winners Australia in front of a record crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground here on Sunday. India go into the final unbeaten after topping the group stage where they had beaten the four-time champions Australia in the tournament opener. After the semifinal against England was washed out, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led squad advanced to their maiden summit clash, having finished first in Group A.
Shafali Verma's consistency
The refreshing firepower of 16-year-old Shafali Verma at the top and consistency of India's spin-heavy bowling attack has contributed massively to the team's success so far in the competition. However, much more is needed from star batters Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet if India are to win their maiden ICC trophy. The brittle middle-order too needs to deliver. And besides doing the right things on the field, India will also have to win the battle of nerves in the all-important game. Australia, who had beaten India in the preceding tri-series final, find themselves in familiar territory having made their sixth successive final in seven editions.
Australia's art of winning high-pressure games
They know how to win the big moments in high-pressure games, while India have been found wanting on that front. The visitors had capitulated to England in the 2017 ODI World Cup final and 2018 World T20 semifinal.It may be a tad unfair on the teenager but the team will expect Shafali to provide another flying start and hope this time the experienced Mandhana too fires. There can't be a bigger stage for Harmanpreet to be back amongst the runs and lead the team from the front.If it was not for Shafali, India would have struggled to post competitive totals with the middle and lower-order doing precious little. The team did not cross the 150-run mark in the group stage but still managed to get over the line, thanks to a disciplined bowling effort.
Leggie Poonam Yadav has made a sensational comeback from a finger injury and is tournament's leading wicket-taker with nine wickets alongside Australia pacer Megan Schutt. Pacer Shikhar Pandey too has been impressive, while left-arm spin duo of Radha Yadav and Rajeshwari Gayakwad has kept things tight. It will be interesting to see how Australians play Poonam on Sunday as the leggie was all over them in the tournament opener.
More than 75,000 tickets have already been sold for the final and the figure could go as high as 90,000, unprecedented in women's cricket. Australia, led by Meg Lanning, are backing themselves to win in front of the home fans though a sizable number of Indian fans too is expected at the iconic MCG.
Lead men's team pacer Mitchell Starc will also be in attendance, rooting for the home team and his wife Alyssa Healy after getting clearance to leave South Africa in the middle of the tour. Australia's campaign has been hit by injuries to pacer Tayla Vlaeminck at the start and star all-rounder Elysse Perry was ruled out of the remainder of the tournament before the semifinal against South Africa. Despite the twin setbacks, Australia have stormed into yet another title clash.
"We're not coming just to put on a good show. We're coming here to win and that's the attitude we're going in with. It's been a long time coming and the build-up to the game is something I've not experienced before. It will be the biggest moment of my career," said Lanning.
Inputs from PTI
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
India Women: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana, Shikha Pandey, Poonam Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Veda Krishnamurthy, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Pooja Vastrakar, Taniya Bhatia, Radha Yadav, Harleen Deol, Arundhati Reddy, Shafali Verma, Richa Ghosh.
Australia: Rachael Haynes, Megan Schutt, Alyssa Healy, Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Beth Mooney, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham, Erin Burns, Molly Strano, Annabel Sutherland.
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Shafali and Mithali - the student and the master 🤩#T20WorldCup | #FILLTHEMCG pic.twitter.com/4QNSKXtJn1
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup)
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Australia win the toss & elect to bat first
Meg Lanning has won the toss and elected to bat at a rapidly filling MCG!
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup)
Good decision? 🤔#T20WorldCup | #FILLTHEMCG pic.twitter.com/o1Vq88PEcs
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
India Women XI: S Verma, S Mandhana, T Bhatia, J Rodrigues, H Kaur, V Krishnamurthy, D Sharma, S Pandey, R Yadav, P Yadav, R Gayakwad
Australia Women XI: A Healy, B Mooney, M Lanning, R Haynes, A Gardner, S Molineux, N Carey, J Jonassen, G Wareham, D Kimmince, M Schutt
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Clearly both teams wanted to bat first on the big day. Big toss for Australia. But this Indian team is perfectly capable of chasing down targets. Great atmosphere at the MCG.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha)
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Wishing our women’s team all the very best for the world cup final.
— Ajinkya Rahane (@ajinkyarahane88)
My best wishes to them!#INDvAUS
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
♀️🎤#T20WorldCup | #FILLTHEMCG | #IWD2020 pic.twitter.com/CaDn1Zqwxa
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup)
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Both teams take to the field as India look to restrict Australia to a managable total.
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Wicket-keeper Alyssa Healy starts off the proceedings with a boundary
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Alyssa Healy becomes the second Australian to score 2000 international T20 runs
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
A good first over for Australia as they score 14 runs.
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Australia get to 23 in two overs as Indian fielders drop two catches in the over
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Deepti Sharma bowls yet another expensive over as Australia race away to 32/0
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Rajeshwari Gaikwad gives away just five runs in her first over.
Australia are 37/0 after 4 overs.
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Aussies nearing 50 just before the end of Powerplay overs.
Australia are 47/0 after 5 overs
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Gaikwad bowls yet another tidy over as she gives away just two runs.
Australia are 49/0 after six overs
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Australia get to fifty as Poonam Yadav is introduced into the attack
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Poonam Yadav starts off by giving away just five runs.
Australia are 54/0 after 5 overs
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Alyssa Healy steadies the Australian run rate by smashing Rajeshwari Gaikwad for two maximums.
Australia are 70/0 after 8 overs
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Opening batter Alyssa Healy scores a quickfire fifty as Australia eye a mammoth total
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Indian bowlers gunning for quick wickets as Australia continue to score at a brisk rate.
Australia are 91/0 after 9 overs
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Australia get to 100 in the 10th over.
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh show a late resurgence.
India are 81/5 after 15 overs
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
India about to reach the 100-run mark with four overs still left.
India are 88/5 after 16 overs
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Deepti Sharma's wicket ends the Indian hopes.
India are 88/6 in the 17th over
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
India looking to cross the three-figure mark with three overs left.
India are 92/6 after 17 overs
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Australia inch closer to their fifty Women's T20 World Cup crown as Shikha Pandey falls.
India are 92/7
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Australia on the verge of making history once again.India are 97/9
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Australia beat India to win their record fifth ICC Women's T20 World Cup.
India bundled out for 99 in the final over
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Alyssa Healy clobbers Shika Pandey to three consecutive sixes.
Australia are 114/0 at the halfway stage
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
A huge breakthrough for India as Radha Yadav accounts for a dangerous Alyssa Healy. She departs for a quickfire 39-ball 75 as Australia are 115/1
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Australia continue to score at a brisk rate.
After 13 overs, Australia are 125/1
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Beth Mooney steadies the Australian innings. After 14 overs, Australia are 135/1.
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Beth Mooney's half-century puts Australia in command. Aussies are 142/1 after 15 overs.
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Australia racing towards a formidable total.
The Aussies are 154/1 after 16 overs.
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Deepti Sharma scalps skipper Meg Lanning. Australia are 154/2.
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Deepti Sharma gets yet another breakthrough for India as Ashleigh Gardner gets stumped. Australia are 156/3
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
India looking to pull things back in the death overs as Australia eye a mammoth total.
Australia are 169/3 after 18 overs
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Poonam Yadav strikes in her final over as she removes Rachel Haynes. Australia are 176/4 in the 19th over
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
India need 185 runs to win their maiden Women's World T20
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Indian openers look to lay a solid foundation as they look to create history
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
A huge blow for India as Shafali Verma departs in the very first over.
India are 2/0
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
India off to ma nervous start. They are 3/1 after the first over
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Harsha Bhogle speaks about the high-octane finale at the MCG.
Very different surface for the final. India's strength lay in the spinners suffocating the opposition on a slow turner. This is a far truer wicket and that brings Australia into the game much more
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha)
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Another setback to India as Taniya Bhatiya retires hurt
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Jemimah Rodrigues' early dismissal puts India in all sorts of trouble.
India are 8/2 after 2 overs
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
India suffer a top-order collapse as Smriti Mandhana walks back to the dugout.
India are 18/3
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Can Harmanpreet Kaur pull off a miracle for India?
India are 23/3 after 4 overs
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Australian bowlers keep the Indian batters at bay
India are 26/3 after 5 overs
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Indian innings falling apart as skipper Harmanpreet Kaur is sent back to the dugout.
India are 30/4
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Australia continue to keep things tight after Powerplay overs. India are 39/4
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
India reach fifty at the halfway mark
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Veda Krishnamurthy and Deepti Sharma look to fightback for India.
India are 57/4 after 11 overs
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3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
India lose half their side after Veda Krishnamurthy's wicket
3: 40 IST, March 8th 2020
Australia looking to wrap up the Indian lower order quickly.
India are 76/5
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Published March 8th, 2020 at 10:47 IST