The fifth and final T20I of the five-match series between India and Australia will be played on December 20 at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. The game will begin at 7 PM IST. Australia have taken an unassailable lead of 3-1 in the series.
In the fourth T20I, batting first, Australia posted 188/3 in 20 overs, thanks to Ellyse Perry’s 72. India’s Deepti Sharma was the most successful bowler with two scalps. In reply, India fought hard and scored 181/5 in 20 overs, losing the match by seven runs. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur top-scored with 46 for India, while for Australia, Ashleigh Gardner and Alana King struck two wickets apiece.
Head-to-Head
India and Australia have played 29 T20Is against each other, with Australia winning 21, India winning seven, and one match not producing a result.
Squads
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh Thakur, Meghna Singh, Anjali Sarvani, Devika Vaidya, S Meghana, Richa Ghosh, Harleen Deol
Australia: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland
Players to watch
Harmanpreet Kaur:
India’s captain starred with the bat in the fourth T20I against Australia as she led the run chase from the front. She hammered 46 off 30, including half a dozen boundaries and one six. In the process, she put together 72 runs with Devika Vaidya for the fourth wicket. She was also brilliant on the field.
Deepti Sharma:
The wily right-arm off-spinner of India was the pick of the bowlers in the fourth T20I against Australia. She accounted for 35/2 in four overs, coming into bowl as the first change. She bowled well with the new ball inside the powerplay. With the bat, the southpaw scored an unbeaten 12 off eight.
Ashleigh Gardner:
The swashbuckling all-rounder of Australia made a valuable contribution with bat and ball in the fourth T20I against India. The hard-hitting right-handed middle-order batter blasted 42 off 27, including three boundaries and as many sixes. With the ball, the off-spinner scalped 20/2 in four overs and was the most economical bowler for her side.
Ellyse Perry:
Picking up from where she had left in the third T20I, the Australian star all-rounder muscled a blistering 72 not out off 42 in the fourth game against India. Batting at number five, the right-hander smashed seven boundaries and four sixes. She got off the mark with a stellar six. She also bowled one over and conceded seven runs.
Pitch
It will be the third match of the series at this venue. The two games here saw more than 300 runs scored on each occasion. It is a batting paradise, and expect another run feast here. The outfield is lightning-quick. Under lights, the fast bowlers may get some assistance.
Weather
The weather is expected to be clear, with a temperature of around 26 degrees Celsius. There will be a zero percent cloud cover and a zero percent chance of rain. The wind will blow from the west-northwest.
Fantasy Playing XI
Richa Ghosh, Beth Mooney, Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Deepti Sharma, Darcie Brown, Renuka Singh Thakur, Alana King
Match Details
Date: December 20, 2022
Time: 7 PM IST (12.30 AM AEDT, December 21)
Venue: Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai
Live Streaming: Star Sports Network (India), Fox Sports and Channel 7 (Australia)
I am a former cricketer having represented Mumbai University at All India University level. I was a part of MCA probables for the U-19 and U-23 age group. I have been an avid cricket writer for the last five years. Currently I am pursuing my Ph.D from IIT Bombay.