Sadhu, Shafali and Mandhana dismantle Australia with ease
The 137-run opening stand in the chase was India's best first-wicket partnership against Australia in T20I history
The 137-run opening stand in the chase was India's best first-wicket partnership against Australia in T20I history
Scorer: K Vairavan | Commentator: Srinidhi Ramanujam
That's it from us today. Hope you all enjoyed our coverage. Come back on Sunday for the second T20I. I am Srinidhi Ramanujam signing off on behalf of K Vairavan and Abhimanyu Bose. Good night and take care!
Titas Sadhu is the Player of the Match: [on the award] This has been a tradition now. Whoever wins these award, gives the party. Since I have won three tonight, I have to give the party. (on her performance): It has been a long series, I was with the team during the Test and ODI series. You have to be ready when the chance comes and I am happy to contribute. I was lucky I got two wickets in the second over, it was a good wicket to bowl on, whatever the team, requires I'd do. We were trying to bowl more slow balls, obviously it's a good thing that we won the toss. "
Harmanpreet Kaur: "We were up to the mark in three departments. We have been working hard on fielding, sometimes results won't come but today, everyone was pumped and good to see all fielders working on them. Credit goes to fielding coach, he said Jemi [Rodrigues] will stand at point because we conceded a lot there. Everyone knows where they will be. [On Litchfield]: We had given her too many chances in the ODIs, I just kept telling my bowlers, keep bowling right areas and Amanjot got her today. (On Sadhu): it was a last-moment change, credit to our coach. In the last moment we thought if we could bring in an extra seamer that would be helpful, she did well. We know they are a good side. The way bowling unit bowled today, we would love to do the same thing. "
Alyssa Healy: Not ideal. We didn't really play very well. I think losing wickets upfront and throughout cost us. Normally, a few good partnership will get us through the game. We bat very much down to nine. we want to keep pushing and adjusting to conditions. (on losing toss): it would have been nice to have bowl first. They hit impeccable lengths really early and made it really difficult for us. We have to adjust for that and change a few things tactics wise. We just have to adjust, someone has to bowl second."
Smriti Mandhana: "We were disappointed with the ODI performance. Really pleased with the team today. Especially bowling. Getting them all out today after conceding 300+ runs in the last match was amazing. In the last two days, we analysed a lot in what went wrong .We definitely had a good one-hour meeting. Our four-seam attack worked. Titas bowled really well after the Asian Games. Really happy for her. (on Sadhu): She comes from Bengal, and Bengal has given us a legendary bowler in Jhulu [Jhulan Goswami] di. We should not compare, she is very sorted, she tells this is where I want to bowl and this is the field for me. She has that clarity. It's a great thing to have, hope she continues the same way. I remember telling coach [Amol Muzumdar] to not be soft on us during the meeting and to be as harsh as he is on the Mumbai Ranji team."
9.57pm: India bounce back from the 3-0 whitewash in ODIs to comfortably win the first T20I by nine wickets, in Navi Mumbai. They go 1-0 up in the three-match series. It was Titas Sadhu's four-wicket haul that helped India bowl Australia out for 141, despite Litchfield's 49. With the ball, with the dew setting in, Australia couldn't do much as Mandhana and Verma notched up fifties each to put on 137 runs for the first wicket. It was an important knock for Verma, who remained unbeaten on 64, after she was dropped in the third ODI for poor run of form. India also
Manoj: "Irrespective of her performance in the next few matches, Shafali's place in the playing XI is guaranteed with today's performance."
Hailing from Bengal, she talks about learning from Jhulan Goswami and rising up the ranks to play for India
The 137-run opening stand in the chase was India's best first-wicket partnership against Australia in T20I history
Australia's nets ahead of the T20Is included a lot of spin throwdowns of both the right and left-arm variety. India, meanwhile, would have warily rejoiced at seeing their captain put a few in the stands