Leg-spinner Poonam Yadav bowled India to a 17-run win over defending champions Australia in the opening game of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Sydney on Friday.
India were restricted to 132/4 off their 20 overs before a half-century from Australian opener Alyssa Healy appeared to have the home team on track for victory. But then Yadav was brought into the attack.
Voted India’s top female player last year, she bagged the crucial wickets of Healy, Rachael Haynes and Ellyse Perry, and was desperately unlucky not to grab a hat-trick in her match-winning 4/19.
It was a big win for India, with only the top two from each of the two five-team groups making the knockout phase. A dangerous New Zealand, along with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, are also in their group.
Here’s how Twitter reacted to India’s win:
What a performance from Poonam Yadav! #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/PcR8P0D2Ys
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 21, 2020
Comprehensive performance by Team India to start the @T20WorldCup campaign!
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) February 21, 2020
Congratulations and keep up the good work. pic.twitter.com/dHQ6KL6JmK
Staggering performance by India's women. Australia were favourites for the tournament and this is a huge result. Top effort from the bowlers. How good was Deepti Sharma! But it was the little leggie Poonam Yadav who turned it around. #iccwomenst20worldcup
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 21, 2020
Big game, and India's bowlers produce a big performance. We can believe!!! Defending champs Australia now realistically looking at an early exit from their home World Cup. #WomensT20WorldCup
— Sreshth Shah (@sreshthx) February 21, 2020
Well THAT'S made things interesting, hasn't it? It's wide open now. Brilliant bowling by India and Poonam Yadav's wrong'uns were something special. #T20WorldCup
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) February 21, 2020
This game 🤯🤯 #T20WorldCup #AUSvIND
— Isa Guha (@isaguha) February 21, 2020
Brilliant from India. Just what this comp needed for the first game. Still backing Australia to win it though...
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) February 21, 2020
this in particular jumps to memory about Poonam Yadav, besides being a supremely skilled bowler, she is quite a character! #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/XhUCysqumE
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) February 21, 2020
India opening the World Cup like #globetrottersdown pic.twitter.com/ptuOdv4Qa3
— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) February 21, 2020
To bowl out this Australian line-up is a huge, huge feat. Commensurate with the enormity of this win.#T20WorldCup #AUSvIND
— Annesha Ghosh (@ghosh_annesha) February 21, 2020
What a difference a couple of hours makes 😄😞#AUSvIND | #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/skajuuFFNV
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) February 21, 2020
Spin To Win. Even in Australia. Winning the game by 17 runs while defending a modest total....that too against the Hosts and Defending Champions—Australia. Take a bow, #TeamIndia #T20WorldCup #AusvInd
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) February 21, 2020
India beat Australia in
— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) February 21, 2020
2016 WT20
2017 WWC
2018 WWT20
2018 U19 WC
2019 WC
2020 U19WC
2020 WWT20
What an effort from #TeamIndia. Defended 132 runs against the defending champions Australia. All thanks to Poonam Yadav and brilliant batting by Deepti Sharma.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 21, 2020
This is the second consecutive win for India against Australia in Women's T20 World Cup.
Magnificent spell of bowling from Poonam Yadav.. she can win the WC on her own for team India.. @T20WorldCup @ICC #AUSvIND
— Morne Morkel (@mornemorkel65) February 21, 2020
The roar at the ground when Poonam Yadav came on to bowl her final was louder than anyone else has received so far. Has single handily changed the game for India!!
— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) February 21, 2020
If this doesn't get Poonam Yadav into the WBBL, I don't know what will.
— Snehal Pradhan (@SnehalPradhan) February 21, 2020
Take your pick @TheShafaliVerma blitz, pocket dynamo @poonam_yadav24 4-19, #taniyabhatia behind the stumps, @ImHarmanpreet use of @shikhashauny in the 17th...#gamechangingmoments @BCCIWomen have made a statement 💪🏽 #ICCT20WorldCup #INDvAUS
— Mayanti Langer Binny (@MayantiLanger_B) February 21, 2020
2017 Women's ODI World Cup
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) February 21, 2020
India beat hosts England in the opening match
England beat India in the final
2020 Women's T20 World Cup
India beat hosts Australia in the opening match
...#AUSvIND #T20WorldCup
What a performance from Poonam Yadav and the girls to get going in the #T20WorldCup the cutest moment has to be Poonam's pic with Ian Bishop 🤩☺️
— siju mathew (@sijumathew94) February 21, 2020
Erased that tri series final hiccup and how! Superb foundation laid for a title charge Down Under. Let’s go @BCCIWomen 💪🏽
— Tareque Laskar (@tarequelaskar) February 21, 2020
And finally, a wonderful atmosphere in Sydney...
13,432 legends in the stands at Sydney Showground Stadium, the biggest ever crowd for a women's T20I in Australia!
— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@AusWomenCricket) February 21, 2020
Thanks everyone 🤩 #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/S0Rcu64lIB
(With inputs from AFP)