India Women Beat Australia in Series Opener: 1st T20I Highlights, Scorecard and Reaction
The Indian women's cricket team has drawn first blood in the highly anticipated multi-format series against Australia, securing a 21-run victory via the DLS method in a rain-affected first T20I at the Sydney Cricket Ground. In a match that marked the beginning of the Sophie Molineux captaincy era for Australia, it was Harmanpreet Kaur's world champions who emerged triumphant, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series .
Here is your complete wrap of the opening clash, including full scorecard, key performances, and what it means for the series ahead.
📝 Match Summary: India Claim Bragging Rights at the SCG
Result: India Women won by 21 runs (DLS Method)
Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Date: February 15, 2026
Player of the Match: Arundhati Reddy (4/22)
| Team | Score | Overs | Innings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia Women | 133 all out | 18.0 | 1st Innings |
| India Women | 50/1 | 5.1 | 2nd Innings |
After winning the toss and electing to field, India's bowlers produced a disciplined performance to bundle Australia out for just 133. In reply, India were cruising at 50/1 when rain halted play, well ahead of the required DLS par score .
🇦🇺 Australia Innings: Reddy Runs Riot as Top Order Falters
Scorecard: Australia 133 all out (18 overs)
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | How Out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beth Mooney | 5 | 8 | 1 | 0 | c Mandhana b Renuka |
| Georgia Voll | 18 | 13 | 2 | 0 | c Ghosh b Gaud |
| Phoebe Litchfield | 26 | 19 | 5 | 0 | c Ghosh b Reddy |
| Ellyse Perry | 20 | 18 | 3 | 0 | c Kaur b Reddy |
| Ashleigh Gardner | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | c Kaur b Sharma |
| Annabel Sutherland | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | st Ghosh b Renuka |
| Georgia Wareham | 30 | 20 | 4 | 0 | c Sharma b Reddy |
| Nicola Carey | 12 | 11 | 1 | 0 | b Charani |
| Sophie Molineux (c) | 6* | 7 | 0 | 0 | |
| Kim Garth | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | c Charani b Reddy |
| Darcie Brown | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | b Reddy |
| Extras | 6 | (lb 1, w 5) | |||
| Total | 133 | 18.0 |
Fall of wickets: 1-22 (Mooney, 2.4 ov), 2-27 (Voll, 3.2 ov), 3-68 (Perry, 7.2 ov), 4-78 (Gardner, 8.4 ov), 5-80 (Litchfield, 9.1 ov), 6-121 (Wareham, 13.5 ov), 7-121 (Carey, 14.2 ov), 8-127 (Sutherland, 15.4 ov), 9-130 (Garth, 16.4 ov), 10-133 (Brown, 17.6 ov) .
Bowling Highlights: Reddy's Career-Best Figures
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arundhati Reddy | 4.0 | 22 | 4 |
| Renuka Singh | 3.0 | 15 | 2 |
| Shree Charani | 2.0 | 13 | 1 |
| Kranti Gaud | 2.0 | 21 | 1 |
| Deepti Sharma | 2.0 | 14 | 1 |
| Shreyanka Patil | 3.0 | 27 | 0 |
| Sneh Rana | 2.0 | 20 | 0 |
Arundhati Reddy delivered the performance of her career, claiming 4/22 off her four overs of nagging seam bowling. Her variations and accuracy proved too much for the Australian middle order, earning her Player of the Match honours .
Renuka Singh struck early, removing the dangerous Beth Mooney, while Shree Charani and Kranti Gaud also chipped in with crucial wickets .
Key Moments: Australia's Innings Collapse
Australia were cruising at 68/2 before losing three quick wickets—Perry, Gardner, and Litchfield—to slump to 80/5. Georgia Wareham provided some late resistance with a fighting 30, but Reddy returned to clean up the tail, bowling Australia out in just the 18th over .
🇮🇳 India Innings: Rain Ends Chase Early
Scorecard: India 50/1 (5.1 overs)
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | How Out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smriti Mandhana | 16* | 17 | 2 | 0 | |
| Shafali Verma | 21 | 13 | 1 | 2 | c Wareham b Molineux |
| Jemimah Rodrigues | 9* | 5 | 2 | 0 | |
| Extras | 4 | (w 4) | |||
| Total | 50/1 | 5.1 |
Fall of wickets: 1-33 (Verma, 4.1 ov) .
The Chase: Aggressive Start
India's chase got off to a flying start. Shafali Verma announced her intentions immediately, crunching two massive sixes—the only sixes of the entire match—in her blistering knock of 21 . Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana looked in sublime touch at the other end, stroking consecutive boundaries off Sophie Molineux.
New Australian captain Molineux struck with her very first ball in international cricket as skipper, removing the dangerous Verma caught on the square leg boundary . However, Jemimah Rodrigues joined Mandhana and immediately showed her class, flicking her first ball for four.
Rain Arrives
With India at 50/1 after 5.1 overs, the rain arrived in Sydney. At the time of the interruption, India were well ahead of the DLS par score of 29, meaning the hosts were declared winners by 21 runs . The covers came on, the rain persisted, and the match was eventually called off.
🏏 Series Context: A New Era Begins
Australia's New Captain
This match marked the official start of the Sophie Molineux era for Australia. The spin-bowling all-rounder was appointed multi-format captain following the retirement of legendary wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy . Unfortunately for Molineux, her captaincy debut did not go to plan, with her side bundled out cheaply and unable to defend their total.
"I think it'll be pretty surreal. I've got a bit of family coming. It sort of has slipped into my mind the last couple of days how it's going to feel to lead the team out," Molineux said ahead of the match .
India's World Cup Momentum
India arrived in Australia as the reigning ODI World Cup champions, having defeated Australia in the semi-finals of that tournament in late 2025 . Captain Harmanpreet Kaur came into the series with added confidence after leading Mumbai Indians to the WPL 2026 title just weeks earlier .
"Being world champions always gives you a lot of confidence, but every time you step on the ground, you have to start from ball one," Harmanpreet said ahead of the match .
Multi-Format Series Points System
This series is being contested across three formats—T20Is, ODIs, and a one-off Test—with a points system determining the overall winner :
| Format | Points per Win |
|---|---|
| T20I | 2 points |
| ODI | 2 points |
| Test | 4 points (2 each for draw) |
India's victory in the first T20I gives them an early 2-0 lead in the multi-format standings.
📊 Head-to-Head: Australia Still Dominant Overall
The head-to-head record between these two sides remains heavily in Australia's favour, despite India's recent resurgence :
| Metric | Australia | India |
|---|---|---|
| Total T20Is Played | 35 | 35 |
| Wins | 26 | 7 |
| Ties/No Results | 2 | 2 |
| Last 5 Matches | WWWWW | WWWWW |
Note: Both teams entered the series on five-match winning streaks .
📅 Full Series Schedule: What's Next?
The multi-format series continues with two more T20Is before shifting to ODIs and the pink-ball Test .
T20I Series
| Match | Date | Venue | Time (AEDT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st T20I | Feb 15 | SCG, Sydney | India won by 21 runs (DLS) |
| 2nd T20I | Feb 19 | Manuka Oval, Canberra | 7:15 pm |
| 3rd T20I | Feb 21 | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | 6:45 pm |
ODI Series
| Match | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 1st ODI | Feb 24 | Allan Border Field, Brisbane |
| 2nd ODI | Feb 27 | Bellerive Oval, Hobart |
| 3rd ODI | Mar 1 | Bellerive Oval, Hobart |
One-Off Test
| Match | Date | Venue | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Only Test | Mar 6-9 | WACA, Perth | Day-Night (Pink Ball) |
📺 How to Watch the Series
In India
Live Streaming: JioHotstar app and website
Start Time: 1:45 PM IST for all matches
In Australia
TV Broadcast: Foxtel (Channel 501)
Start Time: 7:15 PM AEDT / 6:45 PM AEDT (Adelaide)
🔮 What to Expect in the Remaining T20Is
Can Australia Bounce Back?
Australia have lost only one of their last 19 bilateral T20I series . With their depth in batting and the experience of players like Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, and Beth Mooney, they remain dangerous. However, the top order misfired in Sydney, and Molineux will need to rally her troops quickly.
India's Confidence Soars
For India, this victory proves that their ODI World Cup triumph was no fluke. With Smriti Mandhana in sublime touch and the bowling attack firing, they will head to Canberra with genuine belief they can secure the T20I series .
Key Player to Watch: Shafali Verma
Verma's aggressive 21 off 13 balls set the tone for India's chase. If she can fire in the remaining matches, Australia's bowlers will be under immense pressure from the outset.
The second T20I heads to Canberra's Manuka Oval on February 19, with Australia desperate to level the series and India hunting a historic series win on Australian soil. One thing is certain: this multi-format battle is only just getting started.
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