Openers Beth Mooney and Alyssa Healy rode on dropped chances to smash blistering fifties and power Australia to a challenging 184 for four against India in the final of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup at the MCG in Melbourne on Sunday.
Mooney (78 not out) top-scored for Australia but it was Healy (75), who was dropped in the fifth ball of the innings by Shafali Verma off Deepti Sharma, who stole the limelight early on, smashing the Indian bowlers to all parts of the ground. Her 39 balls innings was laced with seven fours and five hits over the fence.
Healy and Mooney shared 115 runs in 11.5 overs for the opening wicket to give Australia a flying start after opting to bat first.
Just like Healy, Mooney too cashed in on a dropped chance -- caught and bowled opportunity by Rajeshwari Gayakwad in the fourth over -- to punish India by reaching her fifty in 41 balls.
Mooney struck 10 boundaries in her 54-ball unconquered knock.
Despite losing to India in the tournament opener, defending champions and four-time winners, Australia entered the final as favourites because of their big match temperament and experience.
And the Meg Lanning-led side proved their billing as Healy tore apart the hapless Indian attack with her power-hitting from ball one.
Healy's entertaining knock finally came to an end in 12th over when she was holed out at the long-on boundary by Veda Krishnamurthy off left-arm spinner Radha Yadav.
After Healy’s dismissal, Mooney took charge and added 39 runs with skipper Lanning before Deepti’s double strike in the 17th over pulled things back for India to some extent.
While Lanning (6) was caught by Shikha Pandey in the second ball, Ashleigh Gardner was stumped by Taniya Bhatia three balls later.
Rachael Haynes (4) too failed to deliver as she played on a Poonam Yadav delivery in the 19th over.
But Mooney took up the responsibility and remained unbeaten in the company of Nicola Carey (5 not out) to take Australia close to the 190-run mark.
The Indian slow bowlers -- Deepti (2/38), Radha Yadav (1/34) and Poonam Yadav (1/30) did well to restrict Australia under 200, which looked easily achievable when Mooney and Healy were going great guns.
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