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Villani thrives in 'toughest conditions'

Big-hitting batter thriving in oppressive conditions after being recalled to the Aussie XI for the T20 tri-series

Elyse Villani is relishing being handed a license to attack in the ongoing T20I tri-series in Mumbai – despite batting in the toughest conditions of her nine-year international career.

Villani was squeezed out of the Australian XI for the three-match ODI series earlier this tour to make way for in-form opener Beth Mooney, but she’s returned for the tri-series as part of a potent top four also featuring openers Mooney and Alyssa Healy, and Ashleigh Gardner.

On Monday, Villani and Mooney joined in a match-winning 114-run third-wicket stand against India – the team’s third-largest T20I partnership ever – in oppressive conditions in Mumbai, the mercury touching 40 degrees Celsius amid stifling humidity.

“That was definitely the toughest conditions I’ve ever batted in,” Villani told cricket.com.au on the eve of Australia’s match against England on Wednesday.

“I always enjoy batting with Moons, I think we complement each other well.

“I was having a laugh with Beth out there because it was actually very difficult to speak to each other, every time we came together at the end of end the over or after each ball we were just trying to get air in our lungs.

“They’re tough conditions, but that’s what we train for so it was fantastic to get a big partnership together.”

Match wrap: Aussies book spot in tri-series final

Villani scored 61 from 42 deliveries on Monday, alongside Mooney’s 71 from 46, as Australia posted 5-186.

Both holed out trying to push the run rate late in the Australian innings, a necessity for more than one reason, Villani revealed.

“Towards the end of the innings I thought, ‘I need to start hitting boundaries because I don’t think I can get back for the twos,” she said.

“I knew we had plenty of wickets in the shed so I thought, ‘Elyse, it’s either hit out or get out because you’ve got Rachael Haynes and Meg Lanning behind you’.”

The strong performances of Australia, both batting and in the field, throughout the tour have been a testament to the fitness work led by team strength and conditioning coach David Bailey.

And while Villani confessed "fitness doesn’t come naturally" to her, Monday’s match was a timely reminder of where the hard yards pay off.

“It just reiterated why we do the sessions that we do,” she said. “When you know the reasons why you’re doing something, makes it easier to do those hard sessions.

“I need all the motivation I can get to get through those sessions and days like Monday really emphasise why we do those sorts of things. So it’s nice to feel it was paying off.”

Schutt made to wait for rare T20 hat-trick

After watching England chase India’s 4-198 with ease on Sunday, Villani and her teammates know another strong batting performance will be required against their Ashes rivals on Thursday.

After just four matches this series, the flat wicket and lightning outfield at Brabourne Stadium have already produced three of the top 10 highest ever totals in women’s T20Is.

“You can get carried away looking at scoring boundaries and thinking you need to score really quick, but play good shots and with that pitch and outfield, it takes care of that itself,” Villani said.

“By creating big partnerships we’ll go a long way to reaching 200. To score 186 was good, we were aiming for 200 on Monday but we just fell short but I do think it’s achievable.”

Play will begin at 10am local time on Thursday (3.30pm AEDT) with the match to be broadcast live in Australia on Fox Sports, while cricket.com.au will provide live scores, news and highlights.

Commonwealth Bank Tour of India

Australia T20 squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Naomi Stalenberg, Elyse Villani, Amanda-Jade Wellington

India T20I squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Mithali Raj, Veda Krishnamurthy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Anuja Patil, Deepti Sharma, Taniya Bhatia (wicket-keeper), Poonam Yadav, Ekta Bisht, Jhulan Goswami, Shikha Pandey, Pooja Vastrakar, Rumeli Dhar, Mona Meshram.

England T20I squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Kate Cross, Alice Davidson-Richards, Sophie Ecclestone, Tash Farrant, Katie George, Jenny Gunn, Alex Hartley, Danielle Hazell, Amy Jones, Anya Shrubsole, Bryony Smith, Nat Sciver, Fran Wilson, Danni Wyatt

Warm-up match Australia beat India A by 321 runs. Report

Warm-up match Australia beat India A by seven wickets. Report

ODI series

First ODI Australia won by eight wickets. Scorecard

Second ODI Australia won by 60 runs. Scorecard

Third ODI Australia won by 97 runs. Scorecard

T20I tri-series

First T20I Australia defeated India by six wickets. Scorecard

Second T20I England defeated Australia by eight wickets. Scorecard

Third T20I England defeated India by seven wickets. Scorecard

Fourth T20I Australia defeated India by 36 runs. Scorecard

Fifth T20I Australia v England, Brabourne Stadium, March 28. Live Coverage

Sixth T20I India v England, Brabourne Stadium, March 29. Live Coverage

Final Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, March 31. Live Coverage