Healy rues poor decisions amid frantic run chase

Alyssa Healy admits Australia got it wrong in their approach to India leg-spinner Poonam Yadav, who left the world No.1s and defending champions reeling in their T20 World Cup opener in Sydney no Friday night.

Australia looked to be cruising at 2-67 in pursuit of India's 4-132 at the Showground Stadium, before losing 4-15 to be bowled out for 115 in the final over.

India's 17-run win has piled the pressure on the tournament hosts, who need to win all three of their remaining group games to keep their hopes of making the semi-finals alive.

Poonam, who missed the recent tri-series due to a finger injury to her non-bowling hand, completely deceived the Australian batters with her wrong'un, picking up the wicket of Healy one ball after the opener brought up a half-century before dismissing Rachael Haynes and Ellyse Perry with consecutive deliveries.

"We probably didn't chase as smart as we have in the past," Healy told reporters.

"Full credit to Poonam Yadav, I thought she bowled quite cleverly, we prepared for her but we didn't play her very well and lost our way in the middle.

"To be fair, I didn't know she was injured (during the tri-series).

"I thought it was tactical, not letting us face her."

Healy was adamant Australia had adequately prepared to face Poonam - whose looping leg breaks and googlies, which hover around the 60kph mark, have been so effective that she is the world's leading wicket taker in T20Is since the start of 2018 - but conceded the hosts needed to be smarter in the way they approach the chase.

"Most of the wickets that fell today were batters playing across the line in both innings, so for us we'll have a look at that and say 'we didn't adapt'," the Australian ‘keeper said.

"We didn't underestimate her, we just didn't play smartly.

"Taking our medicine and attacking the other end would have been a good option."

Australia mixed up their batting order, with captain Meg Lanning returning to No.3 after Healy's return to form, while Rachael Haynes was elevated to four – a move aimed at keeping a left-right combination to try and unsettle India's spinners.

The tactical ploy did not pay off, with Healy (51) and Ashleigh Gardner (34) the only Australians to reach double figures.

"We have a lot of left-right combinations and we like to think that can combat a lot of spin attacks but it didn't pay off tonight, so we'll review that," Healy said.

"Upon reviewing that later there'll be a few comments on how smart we approached that.

"At one point we needed a run a ball, and to let that push out to eight or nine isn't ideal."

A vocal crowd of 13,432 – a record for a standalone women's match – packed into the Showground Stadium for Friday's blockbuster.

Healy said Australia had not been overawed by the occasion, nor were they caught out by the venue itself, which was hosting its first international game.

"I think we had plenty of information (about the conditions), Sydney Thunder play here and we played a practice game, we knew what it was going to do, I just think we didn't play it that smart.

"We went out thinking it was a flat wicket and played some shots we shouldn't have.

"It was nice to play in a stadium with 14,000 people, that doesn't happen very often.

"To experience that was pretty cool."

One pleasing aspect in Friday's performance for Australia was Healy's return to form, with the opener striking 51 from 35 deliveries after scoring just 24 runs in her six innings prior to that.

"It'll give me a little extra confidence, but I've said all along I think I've been hitting the ball all right, just finding ways to get out.

"So tonight was pleasing to be able to put some runs out there … (but) disappointed not to be there not out at the end and get the team over the line."

The Australia squad will head to Perth on Saturday, ahead of their second group game against Sri Lanka at the WACA Ground on Monday.

2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Erin Burns, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Molly Strano, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham

February 21:India won by 17 runs

February 24: Australia v Sri Lanka, WACA Ground

February 27: Australia v Bangladesh, Manuka Oval 

March 2: Australia v New Zealand, Junction Oval

March 5: Semi-final 1 & Semi-final 2, SCG

March 8: Final, MCG

For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE

* All matches will be broadcast on Fox Cricket and Kayo, while Australia’s matches will also be broadcast on the Nine Network