T20 World Cup 2020, Australia vs India, as it happened: Poonam Yadav powers India to 17-run win

4:54 pm:

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur: “Great feeling to win the first game, proud of the girls. Knew we could do well on this track. Knew our bowlers could defend around 140, and that’s what happened. The partnership between Jemi (Rodrigues) and Deepti (Sharma) got us there. Poonam (Yadav) was going through injuries but has made a great comeback. Our team is looking nice. Earlier, we were depending on two-three players but now we’re doing well as a team.”

4:51 pm:

Australia captain Meg Lanning: “Thought we were in a good position at the halfway mark of our chase. But we didn’t quite execute with the bat tonight. The lack of partnerships in the middle hurt us. India bowled really well and thoroughly deserve the win tonight. They outplayed us a little bit tonight, but we’ll go back and learn quickly.”

4:46 pm:

Poonam Yadav, for her figures of 4/19, is the player of the match: “My teammates supported me a lot. I would like to thank them and my support staff for helping me get here. If we keep playing as a team, we will keep winning. I had bowled well in Australia earlier as well so I was confident today. This is the third time I have missed out on a hat-trick (laughs). But I am happy to be bowling like this after returning from an injury. Hope to keep performing like this going forward in the tournament.”

INDIA WIN BY 17 RUNS! AUSTRALIA ARE ALL-OUT FOR 115 IN 19.5 OVERS!

India defeat Australia for the third straight time in an ICC women’s event.

What a comeback this was by the women in blue! Led by the irrepressible Poonam Yadav.

After 19.2 overs, Australia are 113/9 (Molly Strano 1)

WICKET! India have the big wicket of Ashleigh Gardner! The right-hander tries to pull a high full-toss but only manages a top-edge, Shikha Pandey completes the return catch to get her third wicket. Australia need 20 off 4.

Gardner out for 34 off 36 (c&b Pandey)

After 19 overs, Australia are 112/8 (Ashleigh Gardner 34, Molly Strano 0)

A top, top over from Deepti Sharma, just six runs from it. She was the star for India and with the bat and has now finished with figures of 0/17 from her four overs with the ball. Australia need 21 off 6.

After 18.4 overs, Australia are 108/8 (Ashleigh Gardner 30)

WICKET! Brilliant work from Jemimah Rodrigues in the field as she delivers a perfect throw from deep mid-wicket to run Delissa Kimmince out. India are inching towards the finish line.

Kimmince out for 4 off 5 (run-out Rodrigues)

After 18 overs, Australia are 106/7 (Ashleigh Gardner 29, Delissa Kimmince 3)

Garnder survives! The right-hander was bowled but the ball had bounced twice. Poonam Yadav narrowly misses out on a five-wicket haul but she finishes with sensational figures of 4/19 from her four overs. The leg-spinner was simply superb today and led India’s fightback in this contest. Australia need 27 off 12.

After 17 overs, Australia are 102/7 (Ashleigh Gardner 28, Delissa Kimmince 1)

A sensational over by Shikha Pandey, a wicket and just two runs from it. Australia need 31 off 18. Poonam Yadav is back to bowl her last over. She will be eyeing that five-wicket haul.

After 16.3 overs, Australia are 101/7 (Ashleigh Gardner 28)

WICKET! Shikha Pandey has her second wicket and Annabel Sutherland has to depart. Phenomenal world by ‘keeper Taniya Bhatia to complete the stumping off the medium-pacer’s bowling. Delissa Kimmince.

Sutherland out for 2 off 5 (st Bhatia b Pandey)

It’s neck-and-neck!

India were 100/4 at the end of 16 overs.
Australia are 100/6 at the end of 16 overs.

After 16 overs, Australia are 100/6 (Ashleigh Gardner 27, Annabel Sutherland 2)

SIX! Huge strike by Gardner! The right-hander steps down the track and deposits it way over the straight boundary. Left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad finishes with figures of 1/31 from her four overs. Australia need 33 off 24.

After 15 overs, Australia are 91/6 (Ashleigh Gardner 19, Annabel Sutherland 1)

Arundhati Reddy finishes her spell with figures of 0/33. Rajeshwari Gayakwad is back into the attack to bowl her last over. Australia need 42 off 30.

After 13.5 overs, Australia are 82/6 (Ashleigh Gardner 11)

WICKET! Poonam Yadav, you beauty! The leg-spinner has her fourth and it’s Jess Jonassen who has to depart. The left-hander goes for a sweep and gets a faint edge, ‘keeper Taniya Bhatia completes another good catch. Australia need 51 off 37. Annabel Sutherland is the new batter.

Jonassen out for 2 off 6 (c Bhatia b Poonam)

After 12 overs, Australia are 76/5 (Ashleigh Gardner 7, Jess Jonassen 0)

DROPPED! Taniya Bhatia, what have you done?! Poonam Yadav gets Jonassen’s edge on the hat-trick ball but ‘keeper Bhatia spills the catch. Oh, that was so unlucky for Poonam. It was a brilliant ball to the left-hander. India are on top, though. This has been a stunning comeback by them.

After 11.4 overs, Australia are 76/5 (Ashleigh Gardner 7)

WICKET! Sensational bowling from Poonam Yadav! She has clean bowled Ellyse Perry off the first ball! What a googly that was! She is on a hat-trick now. Massive wicket this for India.

Perry out for 0 off 1 (b Poonam)

After 11.3 overs, Australia are 76/4 (Ashleigh Gardner 7)

WICKET! Poonam Yadav has another one! Brilliant bowling from the keg-spinner. She tossed up a googly and the left-handed Rachael Haynes played all over it. Easy stumping for Taniya Bhatia.

Haynes out for 6 off 8 (st Bhatia b Poonam)

After 11 overs, Australia are 71/3 (Rachael Haynes 6, Ashleigh Gardner 2)

Good comeback by Arundhati Reddy in her second over, just four runs from it. Australia need 62 to win off 54. The game is still in their hands. But if India can get a couple of more wickets here, we will be in for a fascinating finish.

After 9.5 overs, Australia are 67/3 (Rachael Haynes 4)

WICKET! Leg-spinner Poonam Yadav, India’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is, gets a wicket in her first over. Alyssa Healy is out right after getting to her half-century. The right-hander hits it straight back to the bowler. India are fighting back well. This game is still very much alive.

Healy out for 51 off 35 (c&b Poonam)

After 8.3 overs, Australia are 55/2 (Alyssa Healy 43)

WICKET! Rajeshwari Gayakwad gets her first wicket. Australian skipper Meg Lanning steps out but is beaten by the left-arm spin, she gets a faint edge and ‘keeper Taniya Bhatia takes a good catch. Rachael Haynes is the new batter.

Lanning out for 5 off 8 (c Bhatia b Gayakwad)

After 8 overs, Australia are 52/1 (Alyssa Healy 40, Meg Lanning 5)

Right-arm medium-pacer Arundhati Reddy comes on to have a bowl and offers an absolute dolly to Healy first up. It was short with no pace and the right-hander pulled it away for four with ease. Healy then picks up two more boundaries – one with a fine late-cut and the another with a whack over mid-wicket. Big over for Australia, 15 runs from it.

After 7 overs, Australia are 37/1 (Alyssa Healy 26, Meg Lanning 4)

Another good over by Rajeshwari Gayakwad, just five runs from it. The Indians are showing more urgency in the field after getting the first wicket. But they need a couple more quickly.

Meanwhile, Smriti Mandhana is back on the field. This is great news for India as Mandhana is hugely important for their chances in the tournament.

After 5.4 overs, Australia are 32/1 (Alyssa Healy 25)

WICKET! Shikha Pandey gives India the breakthrough! Beth Mooney never looked settled and hits it straight to point. Good catch by Rajeshwari Gayakwad. Skipper Meg Lanning is the new batter for Australia.

Mooney out for 6 off 12 (c Gayakwad b Pandey)

After 5 overs, Australia are 30/0 (Alyssa Healy 24, Beth Mooney 5)

Decent over from Deepti Sharma, just five runs from it. But runs don’t matter right now, India need a bunch of wickets to stop Australia from cruising to the target.

After 4 overs, Australia are 25/0 (Alyssa Healy 22, Beth Mooney 2)

Healy came into the tournament with poor form but she is striking it wonderfully at the moment. The right-hander stands tall and thumps it straight back over Shikha Pandey’s head for four. This is a solid start for the Aussies.

After 3 overs, Australia are 19/0 (Alyssa Healy 16, Beth Mooney 2)

Bizarre DRS call by India and they lose their only review this early in the innings. Deepti Sharma wrapped Beth Mooney on the pad but the ball had pitched well outside leg. Three singles for the Aussies in that over.

After 2 overs, Australia are 16/0 (Alyssa Healy 15, Beth Mooney 2)

First boundary for Australia and it comes from Healy’s bat. She follows that up with a superb drive over covers after dancing down the track. Expensive over by left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad, 12 runs from it.

After 1 over, Australia are 5/0 (Alyssa Healy 4, Beth Mooney 1)

Oh dear, Smriti Mandhana has injured herself. She looks in great pain after banging her left shoulder into the advertising board. She’s off the field. Brilliant work by her to save the boundary but India will hope she hasn’t injured herself seriously. Five runs come from the first over bowled by Deepti Sharma.

3:07 pm: Time for Australia’s chase! Alyssa Healy, the Player of the 2018 World T20, at the crease with Beth Mooney. Deepti Sharma has the new ball for India. Here we go!

3:02 pm:

India’s batting card

Shafali Verma: 29 (15)

Smriti Mandhana: 10 (11)

Jemimah Rodrigues: 26 (33)

Harmanpreet Kaur: 2 (5)

Deepti Sharma: 49* (46)

Veda Krishnamurthy: 9* (11)

2:55 pm: A disappointing finish to the innings for India. Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma had done a good job to bring India back in the contest after Australia’s triple-strike early on, but the hosts put in the choke once again at the death. The pitch at the Sydney Showground Stadium is on the slower side and that might give India some hope, but Australia will fancy their chances of chasing this total down.

INDIA FINISH WITH 132/4 IN 20 OVERS

Deepti Sharma remains not out on 49 off 46 as Australia concede just seven runs in the last over.

After 19 overs, India are 125/4 (Deepti Sharma 45, Veda Krishnamurthy 6)

Top over for Australia! Jess Jonassen concedes just four runs in her final over to finish with brilliant figures of 2/24 from her four overs. India have to make the most of the final six balls.

After 18 overs, India are 121/4 (Deepti Sharma 43, Veda Krishnamurthy 4)

Six runs come from Megan Schutt’s final over. The right-arm pacer finishes with figures off 0/35 from her four overs. Final 12 balls coming up, India need to find the fence to post a competitive total.

After 17 overs, India are 115/4 (Deepti Sharma 39, Veda Krishnamurthy 2)

A massive over for India, 15 runs from it. Deepti Sharma picks up two fours off Jess Jonassen’s bowling. This is just what India needed after Jemimah’s dismissal.

After 16 overs, India are 100/4 (Deepti Sharma 27)

WICKET! Australia have the breakthrough and it’s Jemimah Rodrigues who has to walk back. Delissa Kimmince pitches it up and the right-hander misses the ball trying to whip it across. India take DRS but that was struck plumb in front. A good effort by Rodrigues, though. Veda Krishnamurthy is the new batter at the crease.

Rodrigues is out for 26 off 33 (lbw Kimmince)

After 15.5 overs, India are 99/3 (Jemimah Rodrigues 26, Deepti Sharma 27)

FIFTY-RUN PARTNERSHIP! This has been a solid effort by Rodrigues and Sharma. They have added 50 runs for the fourth wicket in 52 balls. And the 100 comes up for India as well. They will be keen to add at least 50 more.

After 15 overs, India are 95/3 (Jemimah Rodrigues 24, Deepti Sharma 24)

Third over in a row where Rodrigues and Sharma pick three singles each. India have been steady since the collapse. But the final five overs begin now, they’ll need a few big shots as well.

After 14 overs, India are 89/3 (Jemimah Rodrigues 21, Deepti Sharma 21)

Megan Schutt returns to the attack and concedes seven runs in her third over – six singles and a wide. Rodrigues and Sharma will be tempted to play a big shot or two per over now.

After 13 overs, India are 82/3 (Jemimah Rodrigues 18, Deepti Sharma 18)

Six more singles for India. This is smart cricket by Rodrigues and Sharma. They have added 35 off 38 so far. Australia are operating with spin from both ends and the Indian batters are finding the gaps nicely.

After 12 overs, India are 76/3 (Jemimah Rodrigues 15, Deepti Sharma 15)

Rodrigues and Sharma are running well between the wickets. Difficult to get boundaries at the moment. Six runs from that Kimmince over. The pitch is on the slower side and India would feel they have a chance if they can get to 150. This partnership holds the key.

After 11 overs, India are 70/3 (Jemimah Rodrigues 13, Deepti Sharma 12)

Welcome boundary for India! Ash Gardner pitches it on a length and Sharma sweeps it hard for four. This is, in fact, the first boundary for India since their first wicket fell. Australia put the choke brilliantly.

After 10 overs, India are 63/3 (Jemimah Rodrigues 11, Deepti Sharma 7)

Right-arm medium-pacer Delissa Kimmince joins the attack and gives away six runs in her first over. India are halfway through their innings. Rodrigues is the key for them. She is starting to time the ball better and rotating the strike well. India are a long way from posting a competitive total.

After 9 overs, India are 57/3 (Jemimah Rodrigues 7, Deepti Sharma 5)

Another good over for Australia, just six runs conceded by Megan Schutt in her second. Rodrigues and Sharma are doing the right thing here – trying to get singles and build a partnership.

After 8 overs, India are 51/3 (Jemimah Rodrigues 4, Deepti Sharma 2)

India get to 50 in the eighth over. They were 40 for no loss at the end of four overs. What a comeback this has been by Australia, helped generously by Indian batters’ poor shot selection. Elysse Perry finishes another tidy over, she has figures of 1/15 from 3 overs at the moment.

After 6.4 overs, India are 47/3 (Jemimah Rodrigues 3)

WICKET! Oh dear, what has Harmanpreet Kaur done! The India captain has thrown her wicket away and how. She steps down the wicket to Jonassen and goes for an almighty hoick. She doesn’t get anywhere close to it and the ball goes on to rebound off ‘keeper Healy’s knee and knock the bails over. India are in deep trouble now. Deepti Sharma walks out to bat.

Kaur is out for 2 off 5 (st Heaky b Jonassen)

After 5.3 overs, India are 43/2 (Jemimah Rodrigues 2)

WICKET! Ellyse Perry strikes! Shafali Verma has thrown her wicket away. The right-hander mis-times a pull and the ball goes straight to Annabel Sutherland at mid-on. Australia are on top in Sydney. What a comeback by the defending champs. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur is the new batter for India.

Verma out for 29 off 15 (c Sutherland b Perry)

After 5.1 overs, India are 42/1 (Shafali Verma 29, Jemimah Rodrigues 1)

Rodrigues survives! The right-hander is struck in front by Ellyse Perry and the finger is raised. But India opt for DRS and the replay shows that the ball was going down leg. Big reprieve for India.

After 4.1 overs, India are 41/1 (Shafali Verma 29)

WICKET! Smriti Mandhana is gone! Jess Jonassen joins the attack and gets Australia a much-needed breakthrough. The left-arm spinner tosses it up, the left-handed opener goes for a wild hoick and the ball hits the leg right in front. Poor shot selection from Mandhana. Jemimah Rodrigues is the new batter at the crease.

Mandhana out for 10 off 11 (lbw Jonassen)

After 4 overs, India are 40/0 (Shafali Verma 29, Smriti Mandhana 10)

FOUR FOURS IN THE OVER! Verma is putting on a show in Sydney! Megan Schutt, the world’s No 1 ranked T20I bowler, joins the attack and is treated with disdain. Three boundaries by the 16-year-old on the off side and one clip to the fine-leg fence. Sixteen runs from the over. What a start this is for young Verma and the Indian team.

After 3 overs, India are 24/0 (Shafali Verma 13, Smriti Mandhana 10)

Shot! Verma joins the act and gets her first boundary. Strano tosses it up and the right-hander hits a cracking drive over covers for four.

SIX! Verma is one special talent! What a shot that was! This time she drive it in the same region, slightly straighter, and the ball sails all the way. That was hit with minimum fuss.

India are off to a solid start. They need this partnership to keep going.

After 2 overs, India are 11/0 (Shafali Verma 1, Smriti Mandhana 9)

Two fours! First two boundaries for India and they come from Mandhana’s bat. Perry pitches it slightly short and the left-hander stands tall and thumps it over mid-on. She then ends the over with another lofted drive for four, this time over mid-off. Top shots from India’s star batter.

After 1.2 overs, India are 2/0 (Shafali Verma 1, Smriti Mandhana 1)

Smriti Mandhana survives! Oh dear, Australia have let go of a massive chance. The left-hander pulls one of Ellyse Perry and the ball goes straight to mid-wicket but Molly Strano doesn’t hold on to it. That was a simple chance and should’ve been taken.

After 1 over, India are 2/0 (Shafali Verma 1, Smriti Mandhana 1)

A single each for Verma and Mandhana in the first over. Good start by Strano. The off-spinner doesn’t get much turn but keeps a tight line.

1:30 pm: Right, it’s time for the first ball of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020! Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana are opening the batting for India. Off-spinner Molly Strano has the new ball in hand for Australia. This promises to be an absolutely cracking contest.

Here we go!

1:28 pm: Molly Strano dismissed Shafali Veram four times in the six India A vs Australia A matches earlier in the summer (thrice in 50-over games, once in a 20-over game).

1:24 pm: The players are out on the field and it’s time for the national anthems. First up, it’s India!

1:21 pm: She wasn’t even in the official squad till yesterday, but Molly Strano comes straight into the XI for Australia! Interestingly for India, no Radha Yadav, the joint highest-ranked T20I bowler in Harmanpreet Kaur’s side. Rajeshwari Gayakwad plays ahead of her.

1:15 pm:

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur at the toss: “We wanted to field first as well but the toss is not in our hands. We just want to focus on playing good cricket. Today, we’re going in with three spinners and two fast bowlers. We’re getting lot of support back home, hope to play our natural game so that we can win and get more support.”

1:12 pm:

Australian captain Meg Lanning at the toss: “There might be some showers later on so that’s the reason why we’re fielding first. We’re really excited, looking forward to this match. Hopefully, it’s gonna be a good one.”

1:09 pm:

India playing XI: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Deepti Sharma, Veda Krishnamurthy, Shikha Pandey, Taniya Bhatia (w), Arundhati Reddy, Poonam Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad.

1:07 pm:

Australia playing XI: Alyssa Healy (w), Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Rachael Haynes, Annabel Sutherland, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Molly Strano, Megan Schutt.

1:05 pm:

Pitch report by former Australia cricketer Michael Clarke: “It looks like a dry wicket but should be a belter. Expect plenty of runs today. The fans are coming in and the atmosphere at the ground will be electric.”

1:03 pm:

TOSS: Meg Lanning wins the toss and Australia will bowl first!

12:56 pm: We’re minutes away from the toss at the Sydney Showground Stadium!

12:48 pm: Here are some key stats ahead of today’s clash:

• This will be the fourth meeting between Australia and India at an ICC Women’s T20 World Cup; although they’ve lost two of those encounters, India won the most recent fixture involving these two sides (it was Australia’s sole defeat at ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2018).

• Australia and India met three times in a T20 Tri-Nations series earlier this month, a tournament that culminated in an 11-run victory for Australia; each side picked up a win apiece against each other in the series before that encounter.

• Australia are the only side to win multiple ICC Women’s World T20 World Cup campaigns (four); they have reached the final in each of the last five tournaments, a run stretching between 2010 and 2018.

• Smriti Mandhana (India) heads into this contest having recorded scores of 50+ in four of her last six T20I knocks versus Australia, including a Player-of-the-Match performance when these sides last met in this competition (83 off 55 balls in 2018).

• Australia’s Megan Schutt took more wickets at ‘the death’ (overs 17-20) than any other bowler at ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2018 (six); she recorded the joint-most dot balls in that period of games in the process (16 – level with Bangladesh’s Salma Khatun).

12.43 pm: The hype around this T20 World Cup has been enormous! Defending champions Australia head into the tournaments as the favourites for many but India have a talented side and can’t be counted out.

Here is a list of stories in which we cover all the important aspects of this T20 World Cup:

12:36 pm: Australia have lost to India in their last two World Cup meetings — in ODIs in 2017 and at the World T20 in 2018.

Read the match preview here.

Hello and welcome to live updates of the opening match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020.

We have a cracker of a game on our hands today as hosts Australia take on India at the Sydney Showground Stadium.

This is the seventh edition of the tournament, with Australia having won the title four times. Meg Lanning and Co are the defending champions and will be keen to extend their record on home turf.