Mooney, Healy fifties guide Australia to T20I series win over India

MUMBAI: Half-centuries from openers Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney helped Australia beat India by seven wickets in the third and final T20I of the series at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday.

Australia has bounced back hard in the white-ball leg of the tour following a big loss in one-off Test, securing the ODI series 3-0 and T20I series 2-1.

In the chase of 148 runs, the Australian opening pair of skipper Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney gave a fiery start to the World Champions. Healy showcased attacking and positive intent, smashing young Titas Sadhu for three fours and then a much-senior Renuka Thakur for two fours and a six in the fourth and fifth over respectively.

Australia touched the 50-run mark in just 5.4 overs, with Healy lofting a Shreyanka Patil delivery over mid-on for a boundary.

In six overs and end of the first powerplay, Australia was 54/0, with Healy (37*) going strong with Mooney (14*).

Healy rocketed her way to her 16th T20I fifty in just 34 balls, with nine fours and a six.

The skipper was trapped leg-before wicket by Deepti Sharma in the last ball of the 10th over. Healy was gone for 55 in 38 balls. Australia was 85/1.

All-rounder Tahlia McGrath was next up on the crease. Australia crossed the 100-run mark in 12.1 overs.

Pooja Vastrakar got some success in the 15th over, removing McGrath for 20 off 15 balls, with four boundaries and Ellyse Perry for a golden duck. Australia was 117/3 in 15.2 overs.

Phoebe Litchfield was next up on the crease and took Australia to a win along with Mooney, with eight balls to go. Australia ended at 149/3 in 18.4 overs, with Mooney (52* in 45 balls with five fours) and Litchfield (17*).

Vastrakar got two wickets for India while Deepti got one.

Despite some intent-filled innings by Shafali Varma and Richa Ghosh, Australia was able to take wickets at regular intervals to restrict India to 147/6 in the third and final T20I of the series at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday.

Put to bat first by Australia, India was off to a decent start, with opener Shafali Varma showing some attacking intent, targeting Kim Garth in particular, smashing her for three fours in an over.

Her short-lived inning came to an end after being caught by skipper and keeper Alyssa Healy on a Megan Schutt delivery for 26 off 17 balls, with six fours. India was 39/1 in 4.4 overs.

Smriti Mandhana kept attacking after Shafali's dismissal, bringing 12 runs from Ashleigh Gardner's over to bring up 50-run mark in 5.5 overs.

In the first six overs at the end of powerplay one, India was 51/1, with Smriti (20*) and Jemimah Rodrigues unbeaten.

Rodrigues failed to impress in the series decider, being caught by Georgia Wareham on a delivery by Annabel Sutherland for just two runs. India was 60/2 in eight overs.

India's progress was hampered big time as in the next over, Wareham removed Mandhana for 29 off 28 balls, with two fours and a six. She was caught by Gardner at near deep mid-wicket. In the very next over, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur was cleaned up by Sutherland for just three, continuing a string of low scores.

With four of their premier batters inside the pavilion, India was 66/4 in 9.5 overs.

All-rounder Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh now had the responsibility to rebuild. Just when it seemed they would stitch a big partnership, Wareham took her second wicket by removing Deepti for 14 in 18 deliveries. India was 99/5 in 14.4 overs.

India touched the 100-run mark in 15 overs.

Richa however went ahead with her attacking game unbothered, smashing Wareham and Schutt for a four and six each in their respective overs. She started to build a promising partnership with Amanjot Kaur.

Gardner ended the 36-run stand by cleaning up Richa for 34 off 28 balls, with two fours and three sixes. India was 135/6 in 19.1 overs.

However, Amanjot (17* in 14 balls) and Pooja Vastrakar (7* in two balls) finished strongly to help India reach 147/6 in 20 overs.

Sutherland (2/12) and Wareham (2/24) were the pick of the bowlers for Aussies. Gardner and Schutt got two wickets each.