Billericay (England): Indian women`s cricket team put up a listless batting performance to lose the opening match of the Quadrangular Twenty20 Series against Australia by eight wickets on Thursday.
India`s batting fell like a house of cards as they were all out for just 62 runs after being invited to bat at Toby Howe Cricket Ground.
The Australia eves overhauled the target with 9.4 overs to spare with Leah Poulton scoring an unbeaten 31 and Meg Lanning contributing 23 runs.
Harmanpreet Kaur waged a brave lonely fight during the Indian innings with a gritty 41 off 49 balls as none of her teammate could manage to reach double digit scores.
Four of Indian batters recorded ducks and the highest contribution after Harmanpreet`s knock came in the form of extras (6).
Fast bowler Clea Smith began the rot by removing both the Indian openers Poonam Raut (4) and Anagha Deshpande (1).
Mithali Raj became a victim of Sarah Coyte, who was most successful bowler for Australia with four wickets, as India slumped to three for eight.
Coyte gave away just five runs in her four overs and ran thorugh the Indian lower order.
India never recovered from the disastrous start and managed to cross the 50-run mark only due to Harmanpreet`s knock, which was studded with three fours and two sixes.
Diana David, Amita Sharma, Snehal Pradhan and Gouher Sulatana could not open their accounts while V Krishnamurthy and skipper Jhulan Goswami made two runs each.
Smith (2/16) and Shelley Nitscke (2/10) took two wickets each for Australia.
India will next play New Zealand on Saturday.
PTI
