In a dramatic conclusion to the second T20I of the Women’s Ashes at Manuka Oval, Canberra, Australia edged past England by six runs via the DLS method. Chasing a challenging target of 186, England’s openers Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge provided a blistering start, adding 46 runs. At the six-over mark, England were 48/1, narrowly ahead of the DLS par score as rain loomed.
England maintained their momentum, with Sophia Dunkley hitting a crucial boundary before rain halted play in the ninth over, keeping them two runs ahead on DLS. At that stage, England fans were hopeful of winning their first game of the tour. However, after a 20–25-minute break, play resumed with no overs lost. Danni Wyatt continued her fine form, bringing up a 36-ball fifty, but Tahlia McGrath’s faith in Megan Schutt turned the tide. Schutt struck twice in the 13th over, dismissing Wyatt for 52 and Dunkley shortly after, leaving England 10 runs behind the DLS par score with seven wickets in hand.
Heather Knight, a standout performer at Manuka Oval, partnered with Nat Sciver-Brunt to stabilise the chase. Before this game, Knight’s last five T20I innings at this venue had yielded four fifties and one century. The pair batted smartly, aiming to take the game deep. With Knight on 32* off 15 balls and Sciver-Brunt on 19* off 17, England reached 154/3 after 18 overs, trailing the DLS target by six runs. However, Sciver-Brunt fell on the final ball of the 19th over, leaving England needing 22 runs off the last six balls.
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Rain returned as Knight struck a boundary to start the final over, but heavier showers forced play to halt with five balls remaining. Frustrated by the stoppage, Knight threw her bat in disappointment as England fell six runs short of the DLS target of 174. With the victory, Australia sealed the Ashes series with 10 points on the board, with one T20I and a Test match remaining.
Tahlia McGrath was named Player of the Match for her unbeaten 48 off 35 balls. After Beth Mooney’s steady 44 at the top, Australia found themselves at 114/5 with more than five overs to go. McGrath and Grace Harris (35* off 17) forged a game-changing unbeaten 71-run partnership for the sixth wicket—Australia’s highest in WT20Is—to guide their team to 185/5.
Brief Score: Australia-W 185/5 in 20 overs (Tahlia McGrath 48* off 35, Charlie Dean 2/28 in four overs) defeated England-W 168/4 in 19.1 overs (Danni Wyatt-Hodge 52* off 40, Megan Schutt 2/32 in four overs) by six runs on DLS method.
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