Image description

At the Commonwealth Games, women's Twenty20 international cricket had the perfect beginning. Renuka Singh, who was playing in just her eighth T20I, destroyed India's renowned top and middle order inside the PowerPlay when world champion Australia was down and out at 49 for 6, but a remarkable response by veteran performer Ash Gardner turned the tables on India. The opening ceremony of the CWG 2022 never lacked excitement.

Smriti Mandhana, a superb southpaw who started India's innings earlier in the day in the manner that has become her trademark, sprayed the off-side with boundaries to reach 24 off 16 balls before she edged behind the wicketkeeper while attempting to stroke a wide outside-off pitch. The other opener, Shafali Verma, initially took a back seat to her partner before erupting to score 48 off 33 balls. She was accompanied by her captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who off 32 balls became the first woman to register a CWG fifty. Renuka's spectacular opening burst of swing bowling reduced Australia to 34 for four in 4.1 overs, giving India 154 for eight and making them happy.