Commonwealth Games, Day 1 Wrap: Australia clinch thriller against India; Barbados keep Pakistan at bay

Toss: India elected to bat first

Result: Australia won by 3 wickets

MATCH CENTRE

Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur had no hesitation in opting to bat first after winning the toss. Smriti Mandhana was looking in good touch, playing a couple of glorious strokes while farming the majority of the strike. Her knock of 24 though was ended as Darcie Brown struck for Australia.

Shafali Verma would then pick up the mantle, racing away to 48, despite a calamitous run-out of Yastika Bhatia in between. Her knock would end, with Alyssa Healy again doing the damage behind the stumps.

From there onwards, it was the Harmanpreet Kaur show, ensuring that India would put a competitive target on the board. Her knock of 52 off only 34 deliveries meant that India posted a total of 154 on the board. Kaur was dismissed in the final over by Megan Schutt, but the job was already done, with the Indian bowlers having a target to defend.

In reply, Australia found themselves in all sorts of trouble in the Powerplay. The Indian bowlers came out with an aggressive mindset, rocking the World Champions at the very start. Australia lost four wickets inside the first six overs and at one point, found themselves reeling at 49/5. Renuka Singh Thakur was the destroyer-in-chief, sending the Australian top four packing in a sizzling spell. Deepti Sharma then joined in the fun, getting the scalp of Rachael Haynes.

Grace Harris and Ash Gardner then put up a brilliant partnership, which put Australia back in the contest. Harris was the aggressor, while Gardner expertly rotated the strike during their 51-run stand. Harris was finally dismissed on 37 by Meghna Singh, and Deepti Sharma removed Jess Jonassen.

But Gardner kept her nerves, getting brilliant support from Alana King. Her half-century eventually took her side to a victory, while King also chipped in with a crucial 18*. With the victory, Australia began their campaign in style, registering two crucial points on the board.

Toss: Pakistan elected to bowl first

Result: Barbados won by 15 runs

MATCH CENTRE

Deandra Dottin got Barbados off to a positive start with two boundaries in the first over but her stay at the crease lasted all of five balls. Though Barbados went at just over run-a-ball in the Powerplay, Kycia Knight and skipper Hayley Matthews steadied the ship after the early wicket.

The pair found boundaries at regular intervals and managed to rotate strike consistently to keep the scoreboard ticking. Together, they added 109 runs for the second wicket while also notching up a fifty of their own.

Once Matthews fell, Knight took the attack to Pakistan in the final few overs and remained unbeaten in the end.

Chasing 145, Pakistan were put on the back foot by Barbados in the Powerplay. They lost two wickets inside the first six overs, including that of Iram Javed off the very first ball of the innings.

Thereafter, Pakistan went into a shell and found it difficult to keep up with the required rate. Wickets falling at regular intervals didn't help them either and by the time their skipper Bismah Maroof was run-out, the asking rate was above 10 an over.

Nida Dar showed great intent as soon as she walked out to bat. She accumulated 20 runs off Shamilia Connell's last over, which included three fours and a six. However, she did not find much support at the other end.

She remained unbeaten on 50 off 31 balls but couldn't help Pakistan get across the line as they fell short by 15 runs.