Australia Women produced a composed and decisive performance to level the three-match T20I series with a 19-run victory over India Women in the second match at Manuka Oval, Canberra on 19 February 2026. After losing the opening T20I in Sydney, Australia regrouped with a strong batting display, underpinned by a commanding opening partnership that set the tone for the rest of the game. The win drew the series level at 1-1 and set up a tantalizing decider in Adelaide.
Batting first after India won the toss and chose to field, Australia Women posted 163 for 5 in their 20 overs, a total that proved just enough on a lively Canberra pitch. The foundation of their innings was a remarkable 128-run opening stand between Georgia Voll and Beth Mooney, the highest opening partnership by an Australian women’s side against India in T20Is. Through that stand, Australia moved from a tentative start to assert control, leaving India with a challenging total to chase.
Voll led the charge with a career-best 88 runs off 57 balls, an innings that combined patience with power. She struck 11 fours and one six, maintaining a strong strike rate of 154 and pacing her knock superbly as the partnership with Mooney blossomed. Her performance earned her the Player of the Match award for anchoring the innings and giving Australia a platform that ultimately proved decisive.
Mooney complemented Voll perfectly with a well-timed 46 off 39 balls. She provided stability at the other end, rotating the strike and putting away loose deliveries to keep the scoreboard ticking. Her contribution was vital in allowing Australia to maintain momentum without taking undue risks, and the pair’s contrasting styles blended into a partnership that was both productive and resilient.
After the openers were separated shortly after their stand was broken, Australia lost a few quick wickets, but the total posted was substantial enough to challenge India. Arundhati Reddy bowled well for the visitors, finishing with figures of 2 for 30, and was one of the few bowlers to find regular success. Renuka Singh Thakur chipped in with 1 for 27, but the damage had been done early by the Australian openers.
India Women’s chase began with promising intent. Openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana put together an aggressive stand, racing to 57 for no loss in the powerplay. Shafali scored 29 while Mandhana contributed 31, and their positive approach kept India in striking distance of the target early on.
However, once Shafali was dismissed, the momentum shifted. Australia’s bowlers exploited the middle overs well, claiming regular breakthroughs to slow the chase. Ashleigh Gardner was the standout bowler, finishing with 3 for 22 in her four overs. Annabel Sutherland claimed 2 for 18, Kim Garth took 2 for 16, ensuring that India struggled to rebuild meaningful partnerships after the first wicket.
Leading from the front was captain Sophie Molineux, who marked her first win as Australia’s T20I captain with an impactful all-round contribution. Molineux claimed 2 wickets in her spell, providing key breakthroughs as India attempted to rebuild. Her calm field placements and timely bowling changes reflected strong leadership, especially in defending a total against a powerful Indian batting line-up.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur top-scored for India with 36, showing some resistance and intent, but the middle and lower order could not sustain the required run rate consistently. Despite contributions from the likes of Richa Ghosh and others, India were eventually dismissed for 144 for 9, finishing 19 runs short of the target.
The contrast between the opening partnership for Australia and the middle-order struggles for India underlined where the match was won and lost. While Voll and Mooney put together a dominant start that carried Australia to a competitive total, India could not match that foundation once early momentum was disrupted.
The series now heads to Adelaide for the third and deciding T20I, with both teams having registered a win each. For Australia, the morale boost of bouncing back after a loss and successfully forging a strong partnership at the top could be crucial. For India, the challenge will be converting early powerplay momentum into a sustained chase and avoiding the middle-order slide that cost them dearly in Canberra. With the decider looming, both sides head into what promises to be a high-intensity conclusion to a tightly contested series.
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