A resurgent India Women produced a spotless effort to crush Australia by nine wickets in the first T20I and take a vital 1-0 lead in the three-match series in Navi Mumbai on Friday.
After Titas Sadhu's career-best figures of four for 17 helped India dismiss Australia for a mere 141, openers Smriti Mandhana (54) and Shafali Verma (64 not out off 44 balls) tore into the visitors with a 137-run stand to deliver an outstanding win for their side at the DY Patil Stadium.
Having missed the last two ODIs against Australia, Shafali stroked her way to her fifth half-century in T20Is, smashing six fours and three sixes with commanding strokes all around the park.
Mandhana too was in her elements, hitting her 27th fifty overall and seventh against Australia, a knock studded with seven fours and a six.