Women's T20 Tri-series: Indian eves beat Australia by seven wickets, record their highest-ever run chase

Indian eves keep themselves alive in the ongoing Women's T20 Tri-series as they defeat Australia by seven wickets at the Junction Oval.

Indian openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana helped India chase the huge total of 174. 

This is the highest total chased by Indian women in T20Is and the third-highest overall. 

The highest belongs to England when they chased 199 against India in 2018. England also had chased a score of 181/6 against Australia in Melbourne.

Verma (49 from 28) and Mandhana (55 from 48) ensured the pressure on the hosts' bowlers as they launched the chase with an aggressive 85-run opening stand.

Mandhana played second fiddle to Verma but kept her runs ticking as well.

The left-hander has a strong record on Australian wickets and has been building into this tri-series with her half-century adding to scores of 15, 35 and 45 in her first three matches.

After Verma's departure, Jemimah Rodrigues came in and continued the momentum with her quickfire 19-ball 30. 

In the end, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma made sure to ride India towards victory with two balls to spare.

Earlier, Australia's Ashleigh Gardner produced a best in a career-high 93 from just 57 deliveries. Skipper Meg Lanning also contributed with 22-ball 37.

The scoreboard could have gone beyond 200, however, death over deliveries by Shikha Pandey and Rajeshwari Gayakwad restricted Australia beneath 180.

Pandey gave just two runs from the 19th over, before Gayakwad, after being hit for six by Perry, leaked just three from her last five balls.

Australia will now face England in a do-or-die match against England on Sunday.

Brief Scores: Australia Women 173/5 (Ashleigh Gardner 93, Meg Lanning 37, Deepti Sharma 2/27); India Women 177/3 (Smriti Mandhana 55, Shafali Verma 48, Megan Schutt1/26