Rain plays spoilsport in first T20I

SCORECARD

The first of the three T20I matches was abandoned due to persistent rain. The India innings went till 15.2 overs before the players had to leave the field. The visitors were on track to post a competitive total with 131/4 already on the board while Jemimah Rodrigues remained stranded on 49*.

Winning the toss, Australia opted to field first. Indian openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana arrived at the crease with an all guns blazing approach. Shafali started with a brutal six to get herself off the mark with pure timing taking the ball over the ropes.

Mandhana got a couple of fours and a six under her belt but Ashleigh Gardner snared the wickets of both the openers who looked threatening. Mandhana skipped down the ground, however, Hannah Darlington caught her at mid-off for 17.

Shafali soon departed to Gardner in the same over for 18 runs — all scored in sixes. Rodrigues came to the middle and stitched a 51-run stand with debutant Yastika Bhatia.

Bhatia managed to contribute with a run-a-ball 15 before perishing to Georgia Wareham in the 13th over. Just as the innings entered the final five overs and Rodrigues nearing her seventh T20I fifty, rain interrupted the proceedings with Richa Ghosh 17 not out at the other end. Rodrigues successfully went past 1000 T20I runs in the course of her innings.

The two sides will now clash on 9 October in the same venue at the Metricon Stadium in Carrara.