India Women Seal Historic T20I Series Win in Australia on February 21, 2026, with a thrilling 17-run victory in the 3rd T20I at Adelaide Oval. This result handed the visitors a 2-1 T20I series triumph and a commanding 4-2 lead in the multi-format series.
The electric atmosphere at Adelaide Oval, with 53,583 fans creating a cauldron of noise, witnessed India break Australia’s fortress. Indian supporters waved tricolours and chanted as Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues built a record-breaking stand. Shreyanka Patil’s inspired spell then dismantled the home chase.
Could Australia’s new captain Sophie Molineux survive the Indian storm in her first series? The answer was no. India’s all-round brilliance ended Australia’s seven successive home T20 bilateral series wins and marked only their second T20I series victory on Australian soil.
This was no ordinary night. India posted the highest women’s T20I total at the venue. Their bowlers then struck early and often. The win carried huge emotional weight for Indian cricket fans who had waited a decade for this moment.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s side showed character, fight, and tactical sharpness. Every department clicked perfectly. The victory sent a strong message ahead of the ODI leg and the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Adelaide Oval Showdown: Toss, Teams & Tactical Moves
Harmanpreet Kaur won her third consecutive toss and opted to bat first under the Adelaide lights. The decision proved spot-on. Adelaide Oval, with its 53,583 capacity and rich history hosting AFL, rugby, and more, offered a true surface that favoured batters early.
Australia made one change, bringing in Grace Harris for Nicola Carey. They rested Tahlia McGrath and Megan Schutt. Darcie Brown, the local Adelaide seamer, came under pressure after leaking runs in the first two games.
India recalled off-spinner Shreyanka Patil in place of Kranti Gaud. This move turned out to be the masterstroke of the night.
The first two T20Is set up a decider perfectly. India won the opener by 21 runs (DLS) in Sydney on February 15. Australia levelled the series with a 19-run win in Canberra on February 19. Everything was on the line in Adelaide.
Adelaide Oval had hosted one previous women’s T20I between these teams in 2016, where India chased 141 successfully. Tonight, the stakes were higher. A record 177-run target awaited Australia.
Smriti Mandhana & Jemimah Rodrigues Script 121-Run Masterclass at Adelaide Oval
India’s batting innings was pure magic from the moment Darcie Brown started with a wayward 10-ball over that included five wides and a boundary.
Shafali Verma fell for 7 in the 2.4 over, caught by Annabel Sutherland off Kim Garth. Score: 19/1.
Jemimah Rodrigues joined Smriti Mandhana and exploded immediately. She hit a boundary off the first ball she faced from Sophie Molineux.
The PowerPlay ended with India at 54/1 after six overs. Rodrigues and Mandhana peeled off boundaries regularly. They took three fours in the sixth over alone.
By the 10-over drinks break, India reached 86/1. Mandhana was on 44, Rodrigues on 29.
Mandhana reached her fifty off 38 balls with a six over mid-wicket in the 12th over. She followed it with more sixes and fours.
The 121-run second-wicket partnership was India’s highest for that wicket in T20Is. It was also the highest partnership at Adelaide Oval in women’s T20Is.
Rodrigues reached 2,500 T20I career runs during her knock. She brought up her fifty in the 18th over.
Richa Ghosh provided the late acceleration with 18 off just 7 balls, including two fours and a six.
Annabel Sutherland bowled a brilliant final over, conceding only 3 runs while taking three wickets. India lost Richa Ghosh, Jemimah Rodrigues, Amanjot Kaur, and Deepti Sharma in the death overs but still finished at 176/6.
Here is the full India batting scorecard in table form:
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smriti Mandhana | c Gardner b Sutherland | 82 | 55 | 8 | 3 | 149.09 |
| Shafali Verma | c Sutherland b Garth | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 116.67 |
| Jemimah Rodrigues | c Perry b Sutherland | 59 | 46 | 4 | 0 | 128.26 |
| Richa Ghosh | c Voll b Molineux | 18 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 257.14 |
| Harmanpreet Kaur | not out | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Amanjot Kaur | run out (Mooney) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Deepti Sharma | run out (Perry/Mooney) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
Partnerships Table:
| Partners | Runs | Balls |
|---|---|---|
| Mandhana-Verma | 19 | 16 |
| Mandhana-Rodrigues | 121 | 82 |
| Rodrigues-Ghosh | 28 | 14 |
| Rodrigues-Kaur | 6 | 5 |
| Kaur-Amanjot | 1 | 1 |
| Kaur-Deepti | 1 | 1 |
PowerPlay: 54/1 in 6 overs.
India reached 100 in 11.5 overs and 150 in 16.6 overs. The late collapse of 4 wickets for 8 runs in the final 9 deliveries prevented a bigger total, but 176 proved enough.
Australia’s Bowlers Battle Back After Early Damage
Australia’s bowlers leaked runs early but fought back late. Darcie Brown’s opening over cost 10 runs (including wides). She finished with 0/27 in 3 overs.
Kim Garth took the only wicket in the PowerPlay, dismissing Shafali Verma.
Ashleigh Gardner and Sophie Molineux bowled economically but couldn’t stop the boundaries.
Annabel Sutherland was the pick, taking 2/34 in 4 overs, including the key wickets of Mandhana and Rodrigues. Her final over was sensational – 3 runs and 3 wickets.
Georgia Wareham went for 19 in 2 overs.
Every Australian bowler conceded more than 8 runs per over. The early damage from India’s second-wicket pair proved too much to repair.
Australia’s Chase Crumbles: 32/3 Inside PowerPlay
Australia needed 177. Renuka Singh Thakur’s opening over went for 18 runs, giving them a flying start.
But Shreyanka Patil struck immediately. In the 1.2 over, Georgia Voll (10) top-edged a sweep to Renuka at short fine leg.
Beth Mooney (6) holed out off Renuka in the next over.
Ellyse Perry, playing her 350th international match, charged down and was bowled by a lovely off-break from Patil. Australia were 32/3 in 3.3 overs.
Phoebe Litchfield (26) and Ashleigh Gardner built 31 runs, but Litchfield fell attempting a switch-hit off Sree Charani, caught at long-on by Shafali Verma.
Gardner received a life on 26 when Amanjot Kaur dropped a return catch. She made India pay with a fighting 57 off 45 balls (5 fours, 1 six).
Jemimah Rodrigues produced a brilliant diving catch at deep mid-wicket to remove Gardner when Australia still needed 49 off 25 balls.
Grace Harris trod on her own stumps attempting a pull off Charani.
Sophie Molineux was trapped LBW by Charani. Annabel Sutherland was lbw to Patil.
Australia finished at 159/9. The chase never recovered from the early triple blow.
Here is the full Australia batting scorecard:
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Voll | c Renuka b Patil | 10 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 200.00 |
| Beth Mooney | c Charani b Renuka | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 120.00 |
| Phoebe Litchfield | c Shafali b Charani | 26 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 152.94 |
| Ellyse Perry | b Patil | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Ashleigh Gardner | c Rodrigues b Reddy | 57 | 45 | 5 | 1 | 126.67 |
| Georgia Wareham | c Amanjot b Reddy | 12 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 85.71 |
| Annabel Sutherland | lbw b Patil | 14 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 155.56 |
| Grace Harris | hit wicket b Charani | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Sophie Molineux | lbw b Charani | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 150.00 |
| Kim Garth | not out | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Darcie Brown | not out | 8 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 88.89 |
Fall of wickets table:
| Wicket | Score | Over |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19 | 1.2 |
| 2 | 21 | 2.2 |
| 3 | 32 | 3.3 |
| 4 | 63 | 8.2 |
| 5 | 98 | 12.6 |
| 6 | 128 | 15.5 |
| 7 | 130 | 16.1 |
| 8 | 137 | 16.5 |
| 9 | 143 | 17.4 |
PowerPlay: 44/3 in 6 overs.
Shreyanka Patil 3-22 & Sree Charani 3-32 Seal Historic Series Win
Shreyanka Patil’s recall was the turning point. Dropped after the first game, she returned with figures of 3/22 in 4 overs at an economy of 5.50.
Her first two wickets came in the PowerPlay – Voll and the big scalp of Perry on her milestone night.
Her third was the lbw to Sutherland. Patil mixed flight and skiddy deliveries beautifully.
Sree Charani complemented her perfectly with 3/32. She removed Litchfield, Harris (hit-wicket), and Molineux (LBW).
Renuka Singh took 1/29. Arundhati Reddy picked 2/35, including the crucial Gardner wicket.
Deepti Sharma and Amanjot Kaur bowled tidy spells. The Indian attack looked unstoppable, taking wickets at regular intervals.
Turning Points: From 140/2 to 32/3 – The Moments That Mattered
- Brown’s opening over wides – gave India momentum.
- Patil’s first-over strike on Voll.
- Perry’s dismissal in her 350th match.
- Rodrigues’ dropped chance on 43 – but she still scored 59.
- Amanjot’s drop on Gardner – temporary reprieve.
- Rodrigues’ ripper catch to dismiss Gardner.
- Harris treading on her stumps.
- Two quick LBWs to Charani and Patil.
- Sutherland’s final-over heroics for Australia – too little too late.
- Harmanpreet’s calm leadership throughout.
Indian fans erupted with every wicket. Australian supporters fell silent as the required rate climbed above 10.
Mandhana, Rodrigues, Patil & Gardner – The Stars Who Lit Up Adelaide
Smriti Mandhana (Player of the Match)
82 off 55 balls. Series top scorer with 129 runs. Her sixes into the Members’ Stand lit up the night. As she said post-match, Jemimah’s quick boundaries early on allowed her to settle.
Jemimah Rodrigues
59 off 46 and the match-changing catch. Reached 2,500 T20I runs. Her intent shifted the momentum.
Shreyanka Patil
3/22. Justified selection perfectly. Young Karnataka off-spinner proved her big-match temperament.
Ashleigh Gardner
57 off 45. Lone warrior for Australia. Her fifty kept the chase alive briefly.
Harmanpreet Kaur led from the front with smart bowling changes. Annabel Sutherland showed fight with bat and ball.
Records Tumbled: Highest Total at Adelaide Oval & India’s Second Australian T20I Series Win
Series Results Table:
| Match | Date | Winner | Margin | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Feb 15 | India Women | 21 runs (DLS) | Sydney |
| 2nd | Feb 19 | Australia Women | 19 runs | Canberra |
| 3rd | Feb 21 | India Women | 17 runs | Adelaide |
Most Runs in Series:
| Player | Mat | Inns | Runs | HS | Ave | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S Mandhana (IND) | 3 | 3 | 129 | 82 | 64.50 | 134.37 |
| G Voll (AUS) | 3 | 3 | 116 | 88 | 38.66 | 161.11 |
| JI Rodrigues (IND) | 3 | 3 | 72 | 59 | 36.00 | 130.90 |
| A Gardner (AUS) | 3 | 3 | 71 | 57 | 35.50 | 118.33 |
Most Wickets in Series:
| Player | Mat | Wkts | BBI | Ave | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Reddy (IND) | 3 | 8 | 4/22 | 10.87 | 7.25 |
| N Shree Charani (IND) | 3 | 5 | 3/32 | 14.80 | 7.40 |
| Renuka Singh (IND) | 3 | 4 | 2/14 | 17.50 | 6.36 |
| A Sutherland (AUS) | 3 | 4 | 2/18 | 13.00 | 6.50 |
India posted 176/6 – highest women’s T20I total at Adelaide Oval, surpassing England’s 169 in 2022. The 121-run stand was a new benchmark.
Historic Milestone: India’s Second T20I Series Win on Australian Soil Since 2016
This victory echoed the 2016 series where India, under Mithali Raj, won 2-1 in Australia. They won the first two games and lost the decider.
Ten years later, Harmanpreet Kaur’s team repeated the feat. Australia suffered their first home bilateral T20I series defeat since November 2017.
The seven-series winning streak at home ended dramatically. For Sophie Molineux, captaining in the T20Is, it was a tough initiation.
This result boosts India’s confidence hugely before the T20 World Cup. Australian fans will hope their ODI stars, led by Alyssa Healy in her farewell series, bounce back strongly.
What the Captains Said: Harmanpreet, Molineux & Mandhana React
Harmanpreet Kaur: “It means a lot… complete team effort. Everybody’s so positive… Smriti and Jemi played a very big role… bowlers did a really great job.”
Sophie Molineux: “We thought we kept them to a good score… lost some pretty important wickets at the wrong time… Midge (Healy) is going to bring excitement for the ODIs.”
Smriti Mandhana (Player of the Match): “Beating Australia in Australia is something really special… Jemi coming in and making me run those twos… credit to her.”
The quotes captured the emotion perfectly. Indian dressing room was jubilant. Australia showed sportsmanship but disappointment was evident.
India Lead 4-2: What the T20I Triumph Means for the Multi-Format Series
India now lead the multi-format series 4-2. Each T20I win gave 2 points.
The ODI leg starts on February 24 at Allan Border Field, Brisbane.
ODI Schedule:
- Feb 24: 1st ODI, Brisbane
- Feb 27: 2nd ODI, Hobart
- March 1: 3rd ODI, Hobart
Australia ODI squad includes Alyssa Healy (c) for her last four games. India will look to extend the lead.
Key battles: Healy vs Indian pace, Harmanpreet vs Australian spinners.
ESPNcricinfo match page.
A Night to Remember: India Women Seal Historic T20I Series Win in Australia
India Women Seal Historic T20I Series Win in Australia in style. The 17-run win in Adelaide was built on brilliant batting, inspired bowling, and sharp fielding.
From Mandhana-Rodrigues’ 121-run masterclass to Patil’s match-winning spell, every player contributed.
Australian fans can be proud of Gardner’s fight and Sutherland’s efforts. Their team remains one of the best in the world.
For Indian cricket lovers, this night will be remembered for years. The wait since 2016 is over.
The multi-format series continues. But tonight belongs to Harmanpreet’s warriors.
Thank you for reading this detailed report on IPL Star. The women’s game continues to grow beautifully. Stay tuned for ODI coverage.
FAQs: India Women Seal Historic T20I Series Win in Australia
1. What was the final result of India vs Australia 3rd T20I 2026 at Adelaide Oval? India Women Seal Historic T20I Series Win in Australia with a 17-run victory in the 3rd T20I on 21 February 2026. India posted 176/6 (Smriti Mandhana 82, Jemimah Rodrigues 59) before restricting Australia to 159/9 despite Ashleigh Gardner’s 57. Shreyanka Patil’s 3/22 proved decisive.
2. How did Smriti Mandhana help India Women Seal Historic T20I Series Win in Australia? Smriti Mandhana smashed 82 off 55 balls (8 fours, 3 sixes) at Adelaide Oval, anchoring a record 121-run second-wicket stand with Jemimah Rodrigues. India Women Seal Historic T20I Series Win in AustraliaHer explosive knock powered India to the highest women’s T20I total at the venue and earned her Player of the Match in the series-clinching win.
3. Why was Shreyanka Patil’s performance key in the India vs Australia 3rd T20I 2026 result? Recalled in place of Kranti Gaud, Shreyanka Patil delivered a match-winning 3/22 in 4 overs (economy 5.50). India Women Seal Historic T20I Series Win in AustraliaShe removed Georgia Voll early, bowled Ellyse Perry on her 350th international match, and trapped Annabel Sutherland lbw, dismantling Australia’s chase as India Women Seal Historic T20I Series Win in Australia.
4. What records were broken when India Women Seal Historic T20I Series Win in Australia? India posted 176/6 – the highest women’s T20I total at Adelaide Oval – surpassing England’s 169 in 2022. India Women Seal Historic T20I Series Win in Australia The 121-run Mandhana-Rodrigues stand is India’s highest for the second wicket in T20Is. The win also ended Australia’s seven-series home T20I winning streak.
5. How did Jemimah Rodrigues contribute to India’s 17-run win in Adelaide 2026? Jemimah Rodrigues scored a fluent 59 off 46 balls and took a spectacular diving catch at deep mid-wicket to dismiss Ashleigh Gardner when Australia still needed 49 off 25 balls. India Women Seal Historic T20I Series Win in Australia Her 121-run partnership with Smriti Mandhana laid the platform for India Women Seal Historic T20I Series Win in Australia.
6. Why did Australia suffer their first home T20I series loss since 2017? Australia crashed to 32/3 inside the PowerPlay after early strikes from Shreyanka Patil and Renuka Singh. India Women Seal Historic T20I Series Win in Australia Despite Gardner’s fighting 57, they could not recover as India’s spinners (Patil 3/22, Sree Charani 3/32) dominated, handing India the 2-1 series victory and ending a seven-series home streak.
7. What does India Women Seal Historic T20I Series Win in Australia mean for the multi-format series? India now lead the NRMA Insurance Multi-Format Series 4-2 after claiming 2 points from the 17-run win. India Women Seal Historic T20I Series Win in AustraliaThe T20I leg is done; the three ODIs starting 24 February in Brisbane will decide the overall winner.
8. Who won Player of the Match in the 3rd T20I Adelaide Oval 2026? Smriti Mandhana was named Player of the Match for her 82 off 55 balls that anchored India’s record total. India Women Seal Historic T20I Series Win in Australia Her calm yet aggressive innings was the cornerstone of India Women Seal Historic T20I Series Win in Australia.
9. How did Harmanpreet Kaur’s captaincy help India beat Australia in the 3rd T20I 2026? Harmanpreet Kaur won her third straight toss, chose to bat, and backed Shreyanka Patil’s recall. Smart bowling changes and field placements restricted Australia after the early collapse, showcasing complete team effort in the historic series win on Australian soil
10. When is the next match after India’s T20I series win over Australia 2026? The ODI leg begins on 24 February 2026 at Allan Border Field, Brisbane. India lead 4-2 and will look to extend their advantage in Alyssa Healy’s farewell series while Australia aim to bounce back.