The climax of the T20I leg has arrived as Australia Women and India Women head to the "City of Churches" for the 3rd WT20I. Scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026, at the historic Adelaide Oval, this series finale is set to be a blockbuster under the floodlights.
With the series potentially on the line, the atmosphere in Adelaide will be electric. This match also serves as a poignant moment in the "Farewell Tour" of Australian legend Alyssa Healy, as it marks her final T20 international appearance before she transitions to the ODI and Test formats to close out her career. You can catch the series decider live on Willow by Cricbuzz.
Head-to-Head: The Adelaide Record Adelaide Oval is known for its true bounce and short square boundaries, conditions that usually favor the stroke-makers. Historically, Australia has defended this turf fiercely, but India's powerful top order will view the short square boundaries as an invitation to dominate.
Overall T20I Record: Australia leads 26-7.
Last Meeting: 2nd WT20I at Manuka Oval (Feb 19, 2026).
Recent Milestone: India famously defeated Australia in the 2025 World Cup Semi-Final to end the Aussies' decade-long reign, making every encounter since then a grudge match.
Team Form & Recent Results Australia Women (W-W-L-W-W) The "Southern Stars" are adjusting to life under new T20I captain Sophie Molineux. While the squad is in a phase of renewal, their depth remains unparalleled in world cricket.
Leadership: Sophie Molineux leads with Tahlia McGrath and Ashleigh Gardner as her deputies.
Selection: 19-year-old Lucy Hamilton is the name on everyone's lips, providing a fresh left-arm pace option that could trouble India's openers.
Recent: Australia is desperate to reclaim their #1 ranking by toppling the new World Champions.
India Women (W-W-W-W-W) The "Women in Blue" are the current gold standard. Following their 2025 World Cup glory and a 5-0 whitewash of Sri Lanka, Harmanpreet Kaur's side is hunting for a historic first-ever T20I series win on Australian soil.
Selection: The squad sees the return of Shreyanka Patil and Bharti Fulmali, adding significant variety to the spin department and depth to the middle order.
Status: India enters as the world's most in-form team, having won their last 10 consecutive T20Is.
Recent: Defeated Sri Lanka 5-0 (Jan 2026).
Players in Focus Tahlia McGrath (Australia): The local hero. Playing at her home ground, her "360-degree" batting and clever medium pace make her the most influential player for Australia at the Adelaide Oval.
Harmanpreet Kaur (India): The captain who thrives on the big stage. Her ability to clear the long Adelaide boundaries will be the difference-maker if the game goes deep.
Darcie Brown (Australia): Another local South Australian product. Her raw pace (consistently over 120km/h) will be Australia's primary weapon to unsettle Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana early.
Shreyanka Patil (India): The "Rising Star" returnee. Her off-spin and death-overs composure earned her a recall, and she will be vital in restricting the Australian finishers like Grace Harris.