India stun Australia
Leg-spinner Poonam Yadav bowled India to an upset 17-run win over defending champions Australia in the opening game of the women's Twenty20 World Cup in Sydney on Friday.
India were restricted to 132 for four off their 20 overs before a half-century from Australian opener Alyssa Healy appeared to have the home team on track for victory.
But then Yadav was brought into the attack. She bagged the crucial wickets of Healy, Rachael Haynes and Ellyse Perry, and was desperately unlucky not to grab a hattrick in her match-winning 4-19.
Australia won the toss at a near-full Sydney Showgrounds and elected to bowl.
Opener Shafali Verma powered India to 40 without loss after four overs, but the wheels came off with three quick wickets falling as the momentum shifted.
Verma made batting look easy as she plundered four fours off the world's top T20 bowler Megan Schutt in a single over.
But Jess Jonassen then pounced, nabbing Smriti Mandhana lbw for 10 before Perry tempted Verma into another big hit and she was caught at midwicket for 29.
Kaur lasted just five balls before being stumped as India lost three wickets for six runs.
Jemimah Rodrigues and the experienced Deepti Sharma steadied the ship with a 53-run stand but they could only reach 132.
Australia made a steady start, putting on 30 runs in the opening five overs before fast bowler Shikha Pandey removed Beth Mooney.
Healy kept the pressure on with a flurry of boundaries.
She brought up her 10th half-century with a six off Yadav, who promptly got her out next ball.
Yadav then tempted Haynes down the pitch and she was stumped before Perry was bowled for a golden duck.
Yadav was on a hat-trick and Jess Jonassen got an edge only for wicketkeeper Tanya Bhatia to fluff the catch, depriving her of glory.
But she soon struck again to snare Jonassen and Australia could find no way back.
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