10.25 pm: Here’s the thing. On their day, this Indian team can still beat the Australians. But it has to be a 8/9 out of 10 across the board for India and less than ideal for Australia for it to happen. The second T20I was an absolute spectacle but that seems to be the exception rather than the norm as a well-oiled, well-coached, well-managed, well-supported Australian team continues to show world cricket what caring and planning looks like. For India, well, it feels like we didn’t learn too much new about them here. Devika Vaidya and Anjali Sarvani went alright after their call-ups for a big assignment like this from a good domestic season. Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma could help them address the middle order issues. But otherwise still questions to be answered, and familiar ones at that. And who answers those questions without a head coach in place, well, that’s for another day perhaps. That will be all for this series, which was for the most part quite entertaining, but ends with a reality check for Harmanpreet Kaur and co.

Player of the series: Ash Gardner.

Player of the match: Ash Gardner, again.

Harmanpreet Kaur (not verbatim): We did well in the first 10-12 overs, then we saw what they could do with the middle order. Lot of learnings for us, happy with the way we played in the series. Lot of areas we improved. Yes definitely (power hitting is the next stage), we will also like to introduce some of it. The self belief in the dressing room is a positive. We have a month off now to train hard and get ready for tri-series then World Cup.

Australia won by 54 runs and take the series 4-1: The world’s best showing why they are the world’s best. A terrific win from being 67/4 at one stage. Harris, Gardner, Graham the stars. A side without Lanning, Haynes, Healy, Schutt, Jonassen... winning comfortably in the end.

WICKET! 19.6: Deepti Sharma 53(34) ct Ashleigh Gardner b Heather Graham A half century, terrific one at that, but Deepti Sharma falls last ball trying for one more big shot. That will be all for the series. Oh look, another catch for Gardner. India 142 all out

WICKET! 19.1: Renuka Singh 2(3) b Heather Graham HAT-TRICK! Heather Graham gets her hair ruffled as she picks up a hat-trick with the wicket of Renuka. Poles rattled. India 137/9

IND 137/8 after 19 overs: Another four for Deepti, putting away a full toss. She moves on to 49.

WICKET! 18.2: Anjali Sarvani 4(12) ct Ashleigh Gardner b Tahlia McGrath Oh wait, Gardner is not done yet. Takes a catch at deep midwicket now. Somebody ask her to take it a bit easy! India 130/8

IND 129/7 after 18 overs: Ash Gardner finishes with 4-0-20-2. If only she batted half decently, she’d be a shoo-in for player of the match... oh wait.

IND 127/7 after 17 overs: A six in the 16th over and four fours in the 17th over... Deepti Sharma producing some late fireworks for the fans to cheer. She has moved on to 42 off 27 balls. Her batting is once again proving to be a bright spark.

Some thoughts as the series meanders to a tame finish after being competitive for the most part: Australia, when looking to oversee a transition post Matthew Mott, appointed Shelley Nitschke as head coach for continuity. They soon gave her two bowling assistant coaches (one to oversee spinners and one to oversee pacers). India, meanwhile, don’t have a head coach anymore and just a batting coach, no bowling coach either. (Harmanpreet Kaur said earlier how the bowlers are stepping up with their own plans, almost as if that’s not enough against this batting lineup). The coaching changes for India were announced just two days or so before the series against Australia. And if reports are to be believed, there is no plan to appoint a new head coach. Almost as if the team with the better talent *AND* better support system posts better results. Who would have thought?

IND 100/7 after 15 overs: The 100 comes up as Deepti Sharma is playing a decent cameo.

WICKET! 12.6: Radha Yadav 0(1) b Heather Graham Radha’s forgettable day comes to an end. Bowled first ball. Length ball, cross-bat swipe, bowled. India 88/7

WICKET! 12.5: Devika Vaidya 11(14) st Beth Mooney b Heather Graham Oh, terrific knuckle ball and Vaidya beaten completely. Mooney makes no mistake standing up to the stumps. India 88/6

IND 85/5 after 12 overs: A matter of reducing the quantum of defeat here for India. A four for Vaidya in that Garth over, cut past point. She could strengthen her World Cup case here.

Australia might have done enough already to seal this match with 10 overs left. IND: 71/5 after 10 overs.

WICKET! 9.2: Richa Ghosh 10(9) ct Heather Graham b Ashleigh Gardner As if Ash Gardner hadn’t done enough damage with the bat, dismisses Shafali Verma and Richa Ghosh (two batters who can do some damage with the bat). Absolutely brilliant catch on the midwicket fence by Graham. India 70/5

IND 69/4 after 9 overs: Again Richa Ghosh is looking in good touch. Couple of fours in that Sutherland over, one off a free hit.

WICKET! 8.1: Harmanpreet Kaur 12(11) lbw Annabel Sutherland Competitive series coming towards a limp end, we are afraid. Kaur has a front-pad problem and that is plumb. India 58/4

IND 58/3 after 8 overs: A four for Kaur followed by two and singles in that McGrath over. Nearly another massive mixup.

IND 49/3 after 7 overs: India are in the exact same score as Australia. But do they have a Harris-Gardner stand in them? Harry Kaur joined by Richa Ghosh.

WICKET! 6.2: Harleen Deol 24(16) Run Out Tahlia McGrath There was still time for Harleen to come back there after the captain said no. She took too long to turn back and is gone. India 47/3

IND 46/2 after 6 overs: Two more fours for Harleen in that Brown over. Good finish to an otherwise poor powerplay for India.

IND 35/2 after 5 overs: Some momentum finally for India. A four and a six from Harleen to finish that Gardner over. Lovely hit down the ground off the last ball, good use of the feet. She plays that shot really well.

WICKET! 4.2: Shafali Verma 13(14) ct Annabel Sutherland b Ashleigh Gardner Oh dear. Shafali never really got going and the bat turns in her hand as she goes big. Caught easily at long on. India 24/2

IND 23/1 after 4 overs: Shafali gets away with another streaky stroke. She tries to whack the ball across and gets an outside edge past short-third for four. Six runs come from Garth’s second over.

IND 17/1 after 3 overs: Dropped! Shafali goes for another aerial stroke and miscues it but Harris can’t hold on to the catch running back from extra cover. Brown the unlucky bowler. Harris, on the mic with the commentators, says the ball went really high but she should’ve got a hand to it.

IND 14/1 after 2 overs: Shafali gets going as well with a well-placed pull, from well outside off, for four. Six runs come from Garth’s first over.

IND 8/1 after 1 over: Shot! Harleen gets off the mark in style with a sumptuous cover drive for four. But a successful start with the ball for the Aussies.

IND 4/1 after 0.4 overs: OUT! A horror start for India as Smriti Mandhana is gone in the first over. The left-hander pulled the first ball away for four but flicks one now straight to square-leg. The CCI goes silent as Brown gets the big wicket. Mandhana walks back for 4 off 4 as Harleen Deol gets a promotion up the order to No 3.

8.32 pm: Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma are at the crease and we’re ready for the chase. Darcie Brown has the new ball in hand. Here we go!

AUS 196/4 after 20 overs: Goodness GraceGardner!!! 129-run partnership is 10.2 overs. Two fours in the last over for Gardner off Renuka.

AUS: 67/4 after 9.4 overs

AUS: 196/4 after 20 overs.

AUS 184/4 after 19 overs: A rash throw from Deepti for what is I think the third overthrow for four today from India. And then two more fours off the bat too in that over.

AUS 171/4 after 18 overs: A bye four as Richa lets one through her legs for what would have been a rare dot ball. And then Harris, Gardner go big. Both reach supremely good half centuries.

AUS 154/4 after 17 overs: A 10-run over at this stage feels like a relief for India. A four each for Harris and Gardner in that Deepti over.

AUS 144/4 after 16 overs: As if not wanting to be left behind, a six and four for Gardner in that Vaidya over.

AUS 129/4 after 15 overs: Absolutely ridiculous from Grace Harris. Radha Yadav finally comes into the attack and she has been smashed for two sixes.

AUS 115/4 after 14 overs: A four and six for Harris off Gayakwad. Some hitting this.

AUS 103/4 after 13 overs: Sensational from Gardner. Four fours in a row off Anjali as pace off and pace on both doesn’t work. One of those, a poor fielding effort. Just another day of AUS showing off their batting might.

AUS 84/4 after 12 overs: Solid over from Vaidya. Just 2 singles. Surely she is going to be on that plane to South Africa?

AUS 81/4 after 11 overs: Shafali with one over too many perhaps. Harris is once again off to a mini flier.

WICKET! 9.4: Ellyse Perry 18(14) ct Harleen Deol b Devika Vaidya Just as we were thinking Perry looks in prime form again, she holes out to long on! HUGE WICKET. Vaidya strikes in her first, Deol juggles but holds on. Dropping that would have been super costly. Australia 67/4

AUS 64/3 after 9 overs: Gayakwad concedes a four off the first ball but comes back well enough.

WICKET! 7.5: Tahlia McGrath 26(26) st Richa Ghosh b Shafali Verma India’s U19 stars combine. After getting hit for a four, Shafali strikes back with one that skids through an advancing McGrath. Easy stumping, Richa makes up for the dropped catch quickly. Australia 55/3

AUS 49/2 after 7 overs: Oh dear. Richa Ghosh drops an outside edge from McGrath. And shortly after Perry survives a run out chance where the direct hit was needed from Deepti but it misses and the backing up is poor, goes for four extra.

AUS 42/2 after 6 overs: Australia’s score went from 24 to 42 in the 6th over, and just like that, Tahlia McGrath’s batting also takes a 180° turn. Goes from 2 off 12 to 19 off 18. Huge shots, over cover and down long on for six. And just like that, Australia make it a decent powerplay. Expensive from Deepti.

McGrath on 2 off 12 now, should be looking to go big next over.

AUS 24/2 after 5 overs: Terrific over from Anjali. A big LBW appeal off Perry too, might have been inside edge.

AUS 22/2 after 4 overs: The sign of what form Perry is in. First ball four.

WICKET! 3.3: Phoebe Litchfield 11(9) st Richa Ghosh b Deepti Sharma Deepti Sharma strikes! Both openers are back in the pavilion. Terrific delivery to beat Litchfield with flight and turn, Richa Ghosh does the stumping. Australia 17/2

Deepti Sharma in. Surprising a little bit. Tahlia McGrath has struggled against the ball coming back in.

AUS 17/1 after 3 overs: There’s a maiden over. Two shots at least from McGrath that seemed well timed but hit straight to fielders. But solid line and length from Thakur otherwise.

AUS 17/1 after 2 overs: Tahlia, captain, is the new batter in. Litchfield gets the first “six” of her career. A throw from deep deflects off her and goes for four after they had run two.

WICKET! 1.1: Beth Mooney 2(4) b Anjali Sarvani Chopped on! Often this series Anjali has seen inside edges miss the stumps but not today. And it’s the big wicket of Beth Mooney. Adds to the wickets of Tahlia McGrath and Ellyse Perry earlier in the series. Australia 8/1

Anjali Sarvani next. Left-arm pacer bowling to two left-arm openers. Wonder how many times that has happened in women’s T20Is.

AUS 8/0 after 1 over: Oh, Renuka beats Mooney with a delightful delivery from around the wicket. Straightens after pitching. Litchfield gets going with a gorgeous straight drive for four. Uff.

Meanwhile, here’s a glimpse of Litchfield practising pre-series.

Play.

6.59 pm: Litchfield and Mooney in the middle. The youngster will be batting for the first time in Australian cricket, having not batted on her debut. Renuka Singh with the ball in hand.

Harmanpreet Kaur at toss: Last game we really played well. Today we are going to go for a extra spinner to help stop some runs. We wanted to play free cricket and keep improving day by day and we have achieved that. Jemi is resting, for Gayakwad.

Team news: Australia will be opening with Litchfield and Mooney it would seem.

6.47 pm: We will wait for the toss video to hear if Harmanpreet has a reason for the one change today but must admit, it is not a surprise to see Jemimah Rodrigues miss out. She has looked out of sorts in this series and even coming into the series, was short on runs during the domestic season and the WBBL before that. The Asia Cup must feel like a fair while ago for her now.

Playing XIs:

India XI: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Devika Vaidya, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Anjali Sarvani, Renuka Thakur, Rajeshwari Gayakwad

Australia XI: Beth Mooney (wk), Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (c), Ashleigh Gardner, Ellyse Perry, Grace Harris, Annabel Sutherland, Heather Graham, Alana King, Kim Garth, Darcie Brown

Team news: Looks like India have dropped Jemimah Rodrigues after her string of low scores. Official team news awaited.

TOSS: India won the toss and elected to field. (Wow, Harmanpreet Kaur wins four tosses in a row!)

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the fifth and final T20 International between India and Australia, taking place at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai.

Harmanpreet Kaur and Co look to finish the series on a high, after the Aussies clinched a 3-1 lead earlier. Alyssa Healy will be missing in action today and Tahlia McGrath will lead the side in her stead. Will be interesting to see if India make any changes or go full tilt to finish the series on a respectable note.

India vs Australia, 4th T20I as it happened: Visitors ride on Ellyse Perry’s knock to win by 7 runs

India’s squad for the T20I series against Australia: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh Thakur, Meghna Singh, Anjali Sarvani, Devika Vaidya, S Meghana, Richa Ghosh (wicket-keeper), Harleen Deol.

Net bowlers: Monika Patel, Arundhati Reddy, SB Pokharkar, Simran Bahadur.

Australia’s squad for the T20I series against India: Alyssa Healy (c-ruled out for 5th match), Tahlia McGrath (vc-stand-in captain), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland.