The India A side, led by Radha Yadav, has arrived on the Australian shores for a full-fledged all-format series that includes a three-match T20 series, followed by a three-match One Day series and an unofficial Test match from 7th to 25th August 2025. The series commences from the T20 format at the Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay.
Alyssa Healy’s cameo, Anika Learoyd fifty guides Australia to 137/6
The Australian openers Tahlia Wilson and Alyssa Healy, who is playing as a specialist batter, got their side off to a flying start with a 37-run opening partnership after the visiting skipper Radha Yadav won the toss and opted to bowl first. Sajeevan Sajana ended Alyssa Healy’s (27 off 18 balls) entertaining blitz in the 5th over of the innings to provide the first breakthrough for India A. The senior statswoman, Healy, cracked five glorious boundaries and fared at a strike rate of 150 during her stay at the crease.
Tahlia Wilson (17 off 23 balls) soon followed her back to the pavilion in the 9th over of the innings to provide the 2nd breakthrough for India A. Courtney Webb partnered alongside Anika Learoyd at the crease, and the duo stitched a crucial 26-run partnership for the 3rd wicket to bring some sort of stability to the innings. Prema Rawat returned and cleaned up Courtney Webb (11 off 12 balls) to break an ominous stand, proving the much-needed 3rd breakthrough for her side in the 13th over of the innings.
Anika Learoyd kept losing partners at the other end, as the Indian bowlers kept chipping away with wickets at regular intervals. A Late flourish from skipper Nicole Faltom (11 off 7 balls), Sianna Ginger (7* off 4 balls), took Australia closer to the 150-run mark as Anika Learod (50* off 44 balls) stayed unbeaten on a well-composed half-century. Prema Rawat (4-0-15-3) was the stand-out performer with the ball for India A, while Minnu Mani (3-0-17-0), Sajeevan Sajana (2-0-9-1), and Saima Thakor (4-0-30-1) played their part with the ball for their side.
Cameos from Radha Yadav and Raghvi Bist in vain as Australia take T20 lead
The Indian top-order, consisting of the likes of Shafali Verma, Dhara Gujjar, and Vrinda Dinesh, struggled to get to terms with the conditions on offer, and as a result, they were reduced to 52/4 in the 12th over of the run chase. The 52-run 5th wicket partnership between Raghvi Bist (33 off 20 balls) and the opening wicket-keeper batter Uma Chetry (31 off 31 balls) gave a glimmer of hope in the run chase for India A.
A fighting knock from skipper Radha Yadav (26* off 22 balls) wasn’t enough for her side to get over the line, as they were restricted to 124/5 in their quota of 20 overs, as a result, falling 13 runs short of the target. Amy Edgar (4-0-23-2), Sianna Ginger (4-0-26-2), Kim Garth (4-0-15-0), and Tess Flintoff (4-0-23-1) were the star performers with the ball for Australia A.
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