India Women’s 2026 tour of Australia has already kicked off with a statement from the visiting side. In the opening match at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), India’s bowling attack looked incredibly sharp, led by a career-best 4/22 from Arundhati Reddy that helped bundle the world number one side out for just 133. While Georgia Wareham’s 30 and Ellyse Perry’s quick-fire 20 showed flashes of resistance, Australia’s middle order struggled to handle India’s discipline. The chase was short-lived but effective; Shafali Verma’s aggressive 21 off 11 balls ensured India stayed well ahead of the curve, allowing them to secure a 21-run victory via the DLS method when the rain finally took over.
Squads:
Australia Women’s Cricket Team
Sophie Molineux (C), Tahlia McGrath, Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham
India Women’s Cricket Team
Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana, Bharti Fulmali, Kranti Gaud, Richa Ghosh, Gunalan Kamalini, Amanjot Kaur, Shreyanka Patil, Sneh Rana, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Shree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma
Players to watch out:
Georgia Wareham
Coming in at number six, Georgia was the lone bright spot in an otherwise difficult outing for the Australian batting lineup. She played a vital, counter-attacking knock of 30 runs, which actually made her the top scorer for the hosts and gave the bowlers something to defend. While she didn’t get a chance to make an impact with the ball before the rain arrived, her recent form from the franchise circuit clearly traveled with her to the national side.
Shafali Verma
Shafali did exactly what she does best by providing India with a blistering start that essentially took the game away from Australia early on. She smashed 21 runs off just 11 deliveries, including a massive six and a boundary, ensuring India stayed well ahead of the DLS par score from the very first over. Although she was eventually caught out trying to maintain that aggressive tempo, her quick-fire cameo was the reason India felt so comfortable when the clouds finally opened up.
Sophie Molineux
It was a big day for Sophie as she stepped out to lead Australia for the first time as their full-time T20I captain. While the team’s total of 133 wasn’t what she would have hoped for, she personally showed great composure by being the one to break the dangerous opening stand between Shafali and Smriti. She finished her lone over with figures of 1/13, providing the only breakthrough for the Aussies before the match was prematurely called off due to the weather.
Arundhati Reddy
Arundhati was undoubtedly the star of the opening match, tearing through the Australian middle order to finish with career-best figures of 4/22. She showed incredible control and variety, picking up a wicket in every single one of her four overs and dismissing key players like Ellyse Perry and Georgia Wareham. Her ability to strike whenever Australia looked to build a partnership earned her the Player of the Match award and set a dominant tone for the rest of the series.
Pitch:
The pitch is expected to be a high-quality batting paradise typical of Canberra’s premier venue. As it’s a fresh surface for this part of the season, it will likely offer true bounce and a fast outfield, rewarding aggressive stroke play. However, the surface traditionally slows down slightly to assist spinners as the match progresses.
Weather:
Expect a sunny day with a high of 29°C and a low of 13°C. Humidity will be moderate at 48%, and while there is a slight 15% chance of precipitation during the day, conditions are expected to remain clear and dry for the majority of the match.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Sophie Molineux, Nicola Carey, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Georgia Wareham, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Arundhati Reddy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma
Match Details:
Date – February 19, 2025
Time – 1:45 PM IST
Venue – Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Broadcast – Jio Hotstar & Star Sports Network
Loves all things female cricket