Australia A took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20 series against India A with a 30-run win over the host in the 2nd fixture at the PCA International Stadium in New Chandigarh on Tuesday.
Nicola Faltum won the toss and opted to bat and her openers got off to a fantastic start. Katie Mack and Rachel Trenaman stitched a 75-run stand in 55 balls to put the Indians under the pump. Niki Prasad struck twice, in the ninth and the 14th over, remocing Trenaman and then Charlie Knott, but Australia was largely unbothered as it raced away to 178/2 in 20 overs. Mack carried her bat, finishing with an unbeaten 83, a day after her 33rd birthday.
RECAP OF THE 1ST T20: Aussie pace too hot to handle for India in Mullanpur
A familiar script ensued for the Indian batting order. Shweta Sehrawat did not feature in this game and was replaced with allrounder Sujata Dey, but it made little difference to the Indian batting order’s returns, with the host losing its first five wickets with 54 runs on the board.
Minnu Mani and Niki Prasad, senior pros in this setup, stitched an important 53-run stand for the sixth wicket before Milly Illingworth sent back Minnu.
Niki continued, bringing up her half century too, but it proved to be a task too steep for her, India ultimately finishing 30 runs short.
This fixture also saw Tayla Vlaeminck feature for Australia A. The Victorian was condemned to a prolonged layoff after dislocating her bowling shoulder during the first game of the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup in UAE. She made a return to competitive cricket in April in a three-day Green-v-Gold red-ball match, restricted to bowling six overs in each innings.
The express pacer registered 12 dot balls in her four-over spell but did bowl a particularly expensive 15-run over which featured a wide, a no ball and a leg bye, with Anushka Sharma and Tejal Hasabnis making the most of the pace on offer. She bounced back commendably, also removing Tanuja Kanwer off the first ball of the 20th over.
Published on Sep 15, 2026