Heather Graham becomes second Australian woman with a T20I hat-trick
Australian all-rounder Heather Graham claimed her maiden hat-trick in just her third T20I on Tuesday. The medium-pacer attained the feat in the 5th T20I against India Women at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. The Women in Yellow defeated India by 54 runs to seal the five-match series 4-1. Earlier, Ashleigh Gardner and Grace Harris guided Australia to 196/4, the highest total of the series.
A massive feat for Graham
Graham has become the second Australian woman with a hat-trick in T20I cricket. In 2018, pacer Megan Schutt became the first Australian woman to do so. Interestingly, Schutt took a hat-trick against the same opposition at the same venue.
Graham took four wickets for eight runs
Graham was the pick of Australia's bowlers in the match. She took four wickets for just eight runs in two overs. Graham dismissed Devika Vaidya and Radha Yadav on the last two deliveries of the 13th over. The Australian seamer was recalled to bowl the final over of the match. She dismissed Renuka Singh on the very first ball to complete her hat-trick.
Graham averages 10 in T20Is
It is to note that Graham played just the third T20I of her career. She now has seven wickets at an incredible average of 10.00. Graham made her T20I debut in the second match against India in the recently-concluded series. Her only ODI appearance came in 2019 against Sri Lanka Women in Brisbane. She took one wicket in that match.
The summary of 5th T20I
India Women started well with the ball, picking up two early scalps (17/2). Australia tried to find some momentum but India kept them under the cosh at 67/4 after 9.4 overs. However, Gardner and Harris then shifted gears with a brilliant unbeaten 129-run stand for the fifth wicket. In response, India Women kept losing wickets to suffer big time at the Brabourne Stadium.
