INDIA has stunned Australia by winning the first T20 of their multi-format series by nine wickets. After bowling Australia out for only 141, the Indians cruised to the target with 14 balls to spare.

The Australians made an okay start to their innings, but it was just clumps of wickets falling for next to no runs that really cost them. Once they were one down, they then lost the next three wickets for a mere five runs.

They then recovered with a 79-run fifth wicket partnership, before it all fell apart again in the back end. That 73-run stand between Ellyse Perry and Phoebe Litchfield would prove to be the only meaningful partnership of the entire innings.

Unsurprisingly it was Litchfield who top scored for the Australians with 49, while Perry made 37.

Meanwhile for India, it was youngster Titas Sadhu who was the pick of their bowlers with four wickets, while Shreyanka Patil and Deepti Sharma also picked up two wickets each.

In the home nation’s chase it was hard going for the Australians. Openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma did not speed towards the target but they certainly were on a roll, and made a 137-run opening stance before Mandhana had to go, caught by Tahlia McGrath off the bowling of Georgia Wareham.

This left Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues with not a lot left to do, and reached the target just over two overs later. The Australians were no help to themselves, conceding 21 extras.

Verma smashed six fours and three sixes on her way to 64 not out, while Mandhana smashed seven fours and a six on her way to 54.

The Australians do not have long to wait before they can exact revenge on this rare loss. The teams meet again for the second T20 on Monday morning Australian time.