New Delhi : Australia began their title defense campaign in the Women’s T20 World Cup with a one-sided 97-run win over New Zealand here. Alyssa Healy scored an innings of 55, her best score in the format since the 2020 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final.
Captain Meg Lanning made 41 while Ellyse Perry contributed 40 as Australia posted a score of 173 for nine on Saturday. Chasing the target, New Zealand lost the wicket of Suzy Bates on the very first ball from which the team never recovered throughout the innings and were eventually bundled out for just 76 runs in 14 overs.
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For Australia, Ashleigh Gardner returned his T20 international career-best figures of five for 12 as the five-time champions began their campaign with a dominating win. Put in to bat after losing the toss, Australia got off to a poor start as they lost Beth Mooney (0) on the fourth ball, who was caught by Eden Carson off Lia Tahuhu (3/37).
Healy and Lanning then handled the innings. Both took the score to 47 for one in the power play, which is the team’s best score in the first six overs against New Zealand in the T20 World Cup. Healy and Lanning added 70 runs for the second wicket. Amelia Kerr (3/23) broke the partnership by bowling Lanning. In the next over, Tahuhu caught Gardner (03) at the hands of Carson and Australia scored 76 runs for three wickets.
Healy and Parry then took over. Both added 50 runs in just 28 balls. Healy, in an attempt to play a big shot off Tahuhu, was caught at the boundary. Parry and Grace Harris (14 off six balls) added 22 runs in eight balls but Harris was then run out. Parry hit Amelia for a four but was trapped leg before on the next ball. Jess Jonassen also returned to the pavilion without opening the account in the same over. Elena King (01) and Tahlia McGrath (08) also could not do anything. (agency)