Smriti Mandhana Shines as India Clinch Historic T20I Series Win Over Australia

New Delhi | 21 Feb 2026 The Indian women’s cricket team continues its dream run, adding another proud moment to its journey in international cricket. On Saturday, India defeated Australia by 17 runs in the third T20I at the Adelaide Oval, sealing the three-match series and taking a 4–2 lead in the ongoing multi-format contest. This win marked only India’s second bilateral T20I series victory on Australian soil, the previous one coming back in 2016. After a cautious start and the early dismissal of Shafali Verma, the Indian innings was steadied by Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues. The pair put together a crucial 121-run partnership, mixing patience with smart shot selection. Smriti played a fluent knock of 82 runs off 55 balls, while Jemimah supported her well with 59 off 46 deliveries. Late fireworks from Richa Ghosh helped India reach a strong total of 176 for 6. Australia struggled during the chase against India’s disciplined bowling attack. Early breakthroughs by Shreyanka Patil and Renuka Thakur put the hosts under pressure, and despite resistance from Ashleigh Gardner, the required run rate kept climbing. India’s bowlers struck at regular intervals, and Australia eventually finished at 159 for 9, falling short by 17 runs. After being named Player of the Match, Smriti said, “It feels great to contribute to a series win. Beating Australia in Australia is really special. Jemi’s quick boundaries when she came in settled me down and helped build the partnership.” Captain Harmanpreet Kaur praised the team effort, saying, “It was a complete team performance. Everyone was positive.” India will now look to carry this confidence into the upcoming ODI series, starting in Smriti Mandhana Shines as India Clinch Historic T20I Series Win Over Australia The Indian women’s cricket team continues its dream run, adding another proud moment to its journey in international cricket. On Saturday, India defeated Australia by 17 runs in the third T20I at the Adelaide Oval, sealing the three-match series and taking a 4–2 lead in the ongoing multi-format contest. This win marked only India’s second bilateral T20I series victory on Australian soil, the previous one coming back in 2016. After a cautious start and the early dismissal of Shafali Verma, the Indian innings was steadied by Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues. The pair put together a crucial 121-run partnership, mixing patience with smart shot selection. Smriti played a fluent knock of 82 runs off 55 balls, while Jemimah supported her well with 59 off 46 deliveries. Late fireworks from Richa Ghosh helped India reach a strong total of 176 for 6. Australia struggled during the chase against India’s disciplined bowling attack. Early breakthroughs by Shreyanka Patil and Renuka Thakur put the hosts under pressure, and despite resistance from Ashleigh Gardner, the required run rate kept climbing. India’s bowlers struck at regular intervals, and Australia eventually finished at 159 for 9, falling short by 17 runs. After being named Player of the Match, Smriti said, “It feels great to contribute to a series win. Beating Australia in Australia is really special. Jemi’s quick boundaries when she came in settled me down and helped build the partnership.” Captain Harmanpreet Kaur praised the team effort, saying, “It was a complete team performance. Everyone was positive.” India will now look to carry this confidence into the upcoming ODI series, starting in Brisbane.