India Women vs Australia Women: Smriti Mandhana century steals limelight as India Women draw historic Day-Night Test
The historic Day-Night Test between Australia Women and India Women ended in a draw on Sunday. The rain took away large chunks of play time over the first two days. Smriti Mandhana was the star of the match with a fantastic 127 which was her maiden Test century.
It was India Women's first ever pink-ball Test, and they impressed with both bat and ball in Carrara, notching a few records along the way.
Put into bat by Meg Lanning, Mandhana and Shafali Verma gave India a solid start. Mandhana raced to her half-century before switching to a more cautious approach.
She brought up her maiden Test century, which was also the first by any Indian in an overseas Day-Night Test.
Mandhana's 127 was coupled with a half-century from all-rounder Deepti Sharma. Handy contributions from the rest of the batting order powered India to a first-innings total of 377/8, when they chose to declare.
Ellyse Perry, Stella Campbell and Sophie Molineux each picked up two wickets for the hosts.
Jhulan Goswami reels back the years for India Women
While Australia's bowlers didn't make the most of the pink ball when it was new, India's pacers made it talk, bowling under the lights.
The last session of each of the first two days were not played due to rain and bad weather. But Jhulan Goswami and Meghna Singh enjoyed some good fortune as they got to bowl at Australia's openers in the best bowling conditions on Day 3.
Jhulan Goswami bowled Beth Mooney to give India their first breakthrough.
Goswami is now the leading wicket-taker among active women's Test cricketers. She then showed her class with a brilliant spell to Alyssa Healy to break Australia's resistance once more.
Ellyse Perry played an unbeaten knock of 68, which helped Australia avoid a follow-on. They declared on 241/9, as they looked to try and enforce a result.
Pooja Vastrakar was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, while Goswami, Singh and Deepti Sharma picked up two apiece.
But there was too little time left for any result apart from a draw. India came back to bat and put on 135/3 in 27 overs before declaring to set Australia a target of 271.
Shafali Verma notched up her third Test half-century in two matches.
India did claim two wickets in the first half of the third session, with Goswami again getting the better of Healy and Vastrakar dismissing Mooney. But at Drinks, the two teams decided to shake hands and settle for a draw.