India A Women vs Australia A Women: Yastika ton in vain as visitors level series

Yastika scored a brisk 84-ball 112 which featured 16 fours and two sixes. | Photo Credit: Reuters

In a high-scoring encounter at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali, Australia A prevailed to seal a two-wicket win over India A, which helped the visitor level the one-day series 1-1 on Wednesday.

India skipper Yastika Bhatia won the toss and chose to bat on what proved a flat track. Priya Punia and Tanisha Singh’s 58-run opening stand gave India early stability before Yastika sank her teeth into the surface. The home captain stitched two crucial partnerships: a 60-run second-wicket stand with Tanisha and a brisk 124-run third-wicket stand with Tejal Hasabnis to set India up for a big score. She also rang in a century along the way, ultimately falling for an 84-ball 112, which featured 16 fours and two sixes.

Tejal and Anushka Sharma kept the tempo up after Yastika fell to Darcie Brown, each scoring 60 with India eventually finished with 338/6 in 50 overs.

Pacers Brown (3/39) Milly Illingworth (2/44) made dents in the Indian effort, but the host was largely unbothered in its batting essay.

In response, Sayali Satghare disrupted a brisk start by removing Nicola Faltum in the seventh over to give the Aussies an early jolt, but Tahlia Wilson’s fast-paced 76-run partnership with Anika Learoyd steadied the ship. Minnu Mani did well to pick up the wickets of Wilson, Learoyd and Charlie Knott, but not before Wilson and Knott stitched a 92-run stand for the third wicket.

With 137 runs still to get at the halfway stage, Hayley Silver-Holmes (51-ball 47) took charge of the tail with help from Tess Flintoff as the Aussies overhauled the 339-run target in the final over with two wickets in hand and just three balls to spare.

The third and final one-day fixture will be played at the same venue on Friday. Mohali will also play host to a four-day red-ball fixture between the two sides to close out the multi-format tour.