Mandhana, who repeatedly smashed 80 off 144 balls with 15 fours and a six in the off-side field with some brilliant shots, added 93 runs for the opening stand. Shafali Verma (31 off 64 balls), who played the second fiddle during their partnership.
Most of the second session was washed out but Mandhana added another 16 runs to surpass her previous best of 78.
She slams Tahlia McGrath for a six over deep square leg and takes the same bowler for a boundary at mid-wicket.
This #AUSvIND #PinkBallTestBad is stumped on the first day of the season ️ #TeamIndia makes its presence felt as the closing day… https://t.co/RrGIK2KN3v
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give his company Poonam Raut (16 batting, 57 balls) and he added 39 runs for an unbroken stand for the second wicket before the rain stopped in the 45th over and did not resume.
The Australian team’s decision to field first by laying a green belt for the spectators backfired as Mandhana attacked them directly during the first hour of the game.
An astonishing 16 boundaries were hit in the first 16 overs, mostly by Mandhana and some by Shafali. Meg Lanning Shuffled with his bowlers without much success.
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In fact, it was a case of role reversal that might have caught the Australian off-guard as Shafali was more intent on playing a defensive game while her senior teammate attacked with great enthusiasm.
Debutant Darcy Brown got some special punishment as Mandhana hit him for multiple boundaries for some whip shots on the off-side as well as on the leg-side.
Ellyse Perry also took a few overs to find the right length. The elegant Indian left-hander reached his run-a-ball fifty in no time with a cover drive from McGrath.
Whenever Mandhana split between point and cover or cover or mid-off, it was the happiest sight.
It never looked like he offered up any deliveries, but Thursday just coaxed with his immaculate timing at the Metricon Stadium.
In Shafali’s case, she hit four boundaries but was also hit with a few scratches and gave her some chances – a reflex catch to Meg Lanning at slips and Annabel Sutherland positioned at mid-on.
She finally tried to hit left-arm spinner Sophie Molyneux against the turn and offered McGrath a sitter at mid-off.
In fact once spinners Molyneux (1/18) and Ashley Gardner (0/14 in 0.1) bowled the semi-new pink kookaburraAustralia finally found a way to check the run flow.
The change of pace in her delivery showed Mandhana a little more patience than she displayed during that first hour.
His first 51 runs came off 50 balls and the next 29 in 94, while Raut also played his customary defensive game. A total of over 300 would certainly keep India firmly in the game.
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