Voll and Gardner haul Australia back to level terms

New Australia captain Sophie Molineux had a point to prove after her side was outplayed in a rain-affected series opener. The response at Canberra's Manuka Oval was emphatic. Powered by Georgia Voll's 88 at the top and Ashleigh Gardner's three-wicket haul, Australia levelled the three-match T20I series at 1-1 with a 19-run win, setting up a decider in Adelaide.

Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and elected to field. Australia managed just eight runs from the first two overs, but Voll then took charge. Treating the Indian attack with freedom, she struck 11 boundaries and a six in a 57-ball 88, sharing a 128-run opening stand with Beth Mooney (46 from 39 balls). It was the highest first-wicket partnership by Australian women against India in T20Is.

Arundhati Reddy was the most penetrative Indian bowler, taking 2 for 30, including Voll's wicket in the 17th over. A disciplined death bowling effort restricted Australia to 163 for five.

In reply, India's chase began strongly, reaching 54 without loss after the PowerPlay through Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana. The momentum shifted when Molineux trapped Shafali LBW. Gardner then removed Jemimah Rodrigues for four, and Kim Garth had Mandhana caught behind. India lost three wickets inside nine overs.

A 55-run partnership between Harmanpreet Kaur (36) and Richa Ghosh attempted to rebuild, but once Kaur fell to Garth, the innings collapsed. India lost 6 for 7 and finished at 144 for nine.

Brief scores:
Australia 163/5 in 20 overs (Georgia Voll 88, Beth Mooney 46; Arundhati Reddy 2-30) beat India 144/9 in 20 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 36; Ashleigh Gardner 3-22, Annabel Sutherland 2-18) by 19 runs.