Gardner named Player of the Series after leading Australia to 4-1 series win

Callan Morse Published December 21, 2022 at 11.35am (AWST)

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Gardner brought up her half-century from just 26 balls in an innings earning her Player of the Match honours. Image: Pankaj Nangia/Stringer.

Muruwari champion Ash Gardner has capped Australia's tour of India in style, dominating in the fifth and final T20 international between the two sides on her way to collecting consecutive Player of the Match awards whilst also being awarded Player of the Series.

Unstoppable with the bat, Gardner (66*) partnered with fellow allrounder Grace Harris (64*) in an unbeaten 129-run fifth wicket stand, the highest ever fifth-wicket stand in women's international T20 cricket.

Their partnership was pivotal in Australia setting an imposing 4-196, a total well out of reach for the Indian batters, with the visiting Australian's winners by a comfortable 54 runs.

After the loss of Ellyse Perry (18 from 14) brought the pair together at the halfway point of the first innings, the match looked evenly poised with Australia at 4-67.

However the Indian bowlers were no match for the hard-hitting duo who proceeded to bludgeon their opposition to all areas of Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium.

Gardner (left) and Grace Harris' partnership of 129* is the all-time highest in a women's international T20 for the 5th wicket. Image: Pankaj Nangia/Stringer.

Gardner struck 12 boundaries (11 fours and a six) in her whirlwind 32 ball innings whilst Harris preferred the arial route, striking four sixes to go along with her six fours from 35 balls faced.

Striking at 206.25 and 182.86 respectively, the pair ensured all the momentum was with the Australians heading into the change of innings.

Australia struck early in the Indian reply with Darcie Brown (1-31) dismissing India's dangerous left-handed opener Smriti Mandhana (4) in the first over.

Gardner was next to strike with the second ball in her opening over, dismissing Shafali Verma (13) who took on long on, caught comfortably by Annabel Sutherland well inside the boundary.

A steady flow of wickets left India without a set batter approaching the halfway mark of the chase, with Gardner (2-20) picking up her second wicket in the innings' 10th over.

After strong contributions to Australia's victories in matches 4 and 5, Gardner was awarded Player of the Series for her performances. Image: Pankaj Nangia/Stringer.

With the run-rate approaching 12 middle order batter Ricah Gosh attempted to pull Gardner over the mid-wicket boundary, only to be caught overhead by Heather Graham a step inside the line.

With the run-rate ever increasing and back-to-back wickets to Graham at the end of the 13th over, victory was all but certain for the Australians.

Middle order batter Deepti Sharma (53 from 34) added some respectability to the Indian scorecard, losing her wicket on the last ball of the innings to see her side bowled out for 142.

Heather Graham was the star with the ball, taking 4-8 including a hat-trick.

Gardner finished the series with 115 runs at an average of 57.50 along with seven wickets at an average of 18.28.

The Australians will now return for home one-day and T20 series against Pakistan before travelling to South Africa in February for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup.