Opener Smriti Mandhana smashed a career-best 83 before Indian slow bowlers spun their web against Australia to continue their unbeaten run with a 48-run win in a group B match of the ICC Women’s World T20 in Guyana on Saturday.

Mandhana blasted 9 fours and 3 sixes in her 55-ball innings and shared a 68-run third wicket partnership with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (43 runs off 27) to power India to a competitive 167 for 8 at the Providence Stadium.

The spinners then got into the act with Anuja Patil (3/15) taking three wickets and Poonam Yadav (2/28), Radha Yadav (2/13) and Deepti Sharma (2/24) snapping two each to restrict Australia for 119-9 in 19.4 overs.

Australia’s leading run scorer in the tournament, Alyssa Healy, was absent hurt following a collision with Megan Schutt in the Indian innings.

India thus notched up their fourth victory in as many matches to top group B. They will now take on either England or West Indies in the second semifinals. Both India and Australia were already in the semifinals after winning the first three matches in group B.

Here are the statistical highlights from what was a thumping win for India against the world No 1 side.

  • The 55-ball 83 was Mandhana’s best effort in T20Is for India. She has a T20 century to her name which came earlier this year in the Super League for Western Storm Troopers.

  • Mandhana’s innings, in fact, is the best score by an Indian against Australia in any World T20 match.

  • During the course of her innings Smriti Mandhana broke an Indian record which was set not too long ago by her captain Harmanpreet Kaur in the tournament opener against New Zealand. Mandhana now has the fastest fifty for an Indian in this tournament.

  • Mandhana became the second fastest Indian to score 1,000 T20I runs during the course of her innings, behind only Mithali Raj

  • Speaking of Mithali Raj, this match was the first ever World T20 game for India without the services of the veteran cricketer.

  • Harmanpreet Kaur keeps hitting the big shots at this World T20. The Indian captain hit the first six of the tournament and she also hit the 50th six of the tournament. In total she has hit 12 sixes in the tournament, comfortably more than anyone else.

  • India’s total of 167/8 was also their new highest T20I total against Australia.

  • Taniya Bhatia, who already has the most number of dismissals in T20Is by an Indian wicket-keeper, continued to impress behind the stumps.

  • It might have ended in defeat but it was a special outing for Australia’s star all-rounder Ellyse Perry who had a good performance individually, taking 3/16 and finishing as the top-scorer as well.

  • Poonam Yadav continued her wicket-taking run for the calendar year and took it up a step this time.

  • It’s not often you see Australia lose by such a margin in women’s T20Is.

  • India’s win against Australia extended their unbeaten run to eight matches on the trot (their best run already).
  • It also ended Australia’s 12-match winning streak. This was only the second defeat for Australia in 2018.