Golden girls! Aussies make history at Comm Games

Australia have again come up clutch on the biggest stage, claiming the first ever Commonwealth Games T20 gold medal with a thrilling nine-run win over India in a match that will go down as an instant classic.

Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur had threatened to become the source of nightmares for Australia once again, smashing a 43-ball 65 to give her side every chance of reaching their target of 162 and securing a maiden title at a major women's tournament.

But Australia held their nerve with the ball and in the field at the death, as India lost 8-34 to be bowled out for 152 in the final over.

India had needed 11 runs off the final over with two wickets in hand, but veteran spinner Jess Jonassen delivered a dot, before a desperate attempt to run two – and keep concussion replacement Yastika Bhatia on strike – produced a run out.

Jonassen then got Bhatia lbw next ball, sealing the historic match for Australia, who now hold a trifecta of major titles, with Games gold adding to the ODI and T20 World Cups they currently possess.

The drama at Edgbaston had started before a ball was bowled; allrounder Tahlia McGrath tested positive for COVID-19 shortly before the match and her participation had to be cleared before she could be named in the XI.

Once underway, Beth Mooney led with the bat, striking a 41-ball 61 that anchored the Australian innings.

Some superb death bowling and a near-perfect fielding display from India kept the powerful Australia batting line-up in check, restricting them to 8-161.

India's run-chase started slowly as Australia picked up two big early wickets to pile pressure on India. While Smriti Mandhana (6) had been the hero of India's semi-final win 24 hours earlier, her impact with the bat in the final was limited as she was bowled by Darcie Brown in the second over of the chase.

Shafali Verma loomed large and was given a life when Megan Schutt uncharacteristically dropped a chance with the opener on 10, but she added just one more before holing out to McGrath at long on, prompting a socially distanced celebration from the Australians.

Ever the player for the big occasion, India skipper Kaur stepped up again for her side, joining No.3 Jemimah Rodrigues in a 96-run stand that kept the run rate in check.

Kaur brought up fifty from just 34 balls, flaying the Australian attack for two sixes and seven fours in a performance that triggered memories of her efforts in the 2017 World Cup semi-final.

Rodrigues found the boundary three times in her own run-a-ball 33 before she was bowled by Schutt with India needing 44 from 33 balls.

The dangerous Pooja Vastrakar (1) was then brilliantly caught by Mooney on the boundary, and Ashleigh Gardner was on a hat-trick a ball later as a diving Alyssa Healy hung onto a catch to finally end Kaur's onslaught on 65.

Having lost 3-3 and still 41 runs adrift of victory, Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana took 13 off an Alana King over to remain in touch.

Rana was run out on eight in the 18th, then a thick edge off Sharma's bat found the boundary to make it 19 off 14.

A Grace Harris direct hit had Radha Yadav run out, before Schutt trapped Sharma (13) on the pads to leave India 8-149, needing 13 off 9.

Bhatia – who generally bats in India's top-order when selected – came out to bat at No.9, having been brought into the match as a concussion replacement for 'keeper Taniya Bhatia, who earlier copped a blow behind the stumps.

She could not do enough to get India over the line, as they fell agonisingly short of the elusive title that also evaded them in the 2017 and 2020 World Cup deciders.

Image Id: E4E815A289524AB488F4E969211E808C Image Caption: Jess Jonassen celebrates a crucial wicket in the final over of Australia's thrilling win // Getty

Earlier, Healy's indifferent tournament then continued when she was out lbw to Renuka Singh Thakur for seven; the umpire had signalled not out, but India's decision to review was sound.

Meg Lanning joined Mooney to put on Australia's best powerplay of the tournament, smacking a six down the ground in a clear signal of intent.

But her 26-ball innings came to a sudden end on 36 when she was run out at the non-strikers end, thanks to a clever deflection from bowler Radha Yadav.

Formerly lamented as a facet of India's game that was routinely found wanting in key moments, their sharpness in the field accounted for three more of Australia's best batters.

McGrath, who was separated from her teammates and wore a mask while waiting to bat, arrived in the middle at No.4 but her stay lasted just four balls before Yadav again produced the magic India required, with a stunning diving catch at backward point.

Image Id: 10006F74C61E4EF2929B776B9C09D3EA Image Caption: Tahlia McGrath watches from afar during Australia's batting innings // Getty

Ashleigh Gardner hammered a quickfire 25 off 15 before she was stumped advancing down the pitch to Sneh Rana, while the dangerous Grace Harris was unable to make an impact, out for two, Meghna Singh making no mistake with the skied chance.

Mooney reached a half-century from 36 balls, and added another 11 before she was brilliantly caught by Deepti Sharma, one-handed while running backwards.

After her dismissal in the 18th over, Australia could only add another 19 from the last 16 balls of the innings, held back by India's spinners, before another piece of fielding brilliance accounted for Jonassen in the final over, as she was caught short by a Mandhana direct hit.

Australia walk away with the gold medal, India silver and New Zealand bronze, after they accounted for England earlier on Sunday in the third-place playoff.

Australia XI:Alyssa Healy (wk), Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning (c), Tahlia McGrath, Rachael Haynes, Ashleigh Gardner, Grace Harris, Jessica Jonassen, Alana King, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown

India XI:Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Taniya Bhatia (wk), Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Radha Yadav, Sneh Rana, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh

2022 Commonwealth Games

Australia's squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington

See all the Commonwealth Games cricket squads here

Group A: Australia, India, Pakistan, Barbados

Group B: England, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka

July 29: Australia beat India by three wickets

July 31: Australia beat Barbados by nine wickets

August 3: Australia beat Pakistan by 44 runs

Semi-finals: August 6

India beat England by four runs

Australia beat New Zealand by five wickets

Bronze medal match: New Zealand beat England by eight wickets

Gold medal match: Australia beat India by nine runs

All matches played at Edgbaston Stadium.