Australia Women vs India Women, 3rd T20I, India Women tour of Australia, 2026 - Commentary

Second T20I series win for India vs Australia in Australia. And that also ends Australia's winning streak who had won 7 successive T20 bilateral series. The T20I leg is done, we move onto the ODIs with India having a 2-point lead (India - 4 points | Australia - 2 points) in this multi-format series. Tune in on Tuesday for the first ODI. Until then, it's goodbye from all of us down here.

Harmanpreet Kaur: It means a lot, I think it's a complete team effort. Everybody's so positive and really want to do for the team. So really good to see that everybody's coming up and contributing for the team. (On the Smriti-Jemimah partnership) Yeah, I think every partnership was very important for us. That's what we discussed in the team meetings, that we have to be there. we have to keep taking the responsibility, They both played a very big role. And really happy the way Smriti was batting, and good to see that Jami also contributed at the right time. (Bowling plan) Well, the plans are very simple. I think whenever we take 10 wickets, we are always at a winning side. It was very clear that, a side like that, when you know you have so many batters, so it's only about taking wickets. It's not easy but I think the bowlers did a really great job for us. (On the fans) Yeah, that means a lot to us. And good to see that today so many supportes came and they were cheering for India. Hopefully we'll keep seeing them and keep making them proud.

Sophie Molineux: We actually thought we kept them to a good score. It was a  pretty good wicket, we lost some pretty important wickets at the the wrong time. (On Perry's 350th match) It was a bit of a bugger, we couldn't get the result for her tonight, but yeah, she's a special person, special cricketer. She's done so much for the game, for our team, continues to, and here's to 350 more. (On the ODI series) I think Midge (Healy) is going to bring an injection of some real excitement, it's going to be her last four games for Australia, and we're going to do everything possible to send her off on the right note. 

Smriti Mandhana | Player of the Match: It was good to contribute to the series win. I think beating Australia in Australia is something really special. I'm really happy for the team and glad that I could contribute. Jemi coming in and making me run all those twos, but yeah, I think really good partnership between Jemi and me. I think we did beat them in 2016 back when we had come here, but I think we've played T20 after a very long time in Australia, so beating them is really nice, but we will move on to the ODI series and not celebrate too much. (On the partnership with Jemimah) When she came in I think I was 16-ball 15 and still getting my timing and she came in, got three or four boundaries, got the momentum going and I could take some time. Those small things don't really get noticed, but I feel when she came in and got those quick 2-3 boundaries, it calmed me down as well. So credit on her to come in and play that sort of a knock.

22:06 Local Time, 11:36 GMT, 17:06 IST: India win the T20I series 2-1. Superb all-round performance the visitors. They posted 176 on the board thanks to half-centuries from Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues. Australia conceded just 3 runs off the final over and then in reply got going with a 18-run over off Renuka's opening over. Shreyanka, back into the XI, struck in her very first over. The offspinner removed the dangerous Voll, Mooney holed out against Renuka in the very next over and then Shreyanka cleaned up Perry with a lovely offbreak. Gardner joined Litchfield at 32/3 and the latter perished while attempting a switch-hit against Charani. Gardner took her time to get going but Australia were in the game as long as she was out in the middle. Jemimah took a superb catch to remove the half-centurion and Australia couldn't recover after that as they succumbed to a 17-run loss.

Glum faces in the Australian camp as they need 33 runs in 2 overs with just 1 wicket in hand