The Indian women's cricket team put up a listless batting performance and lost to Australia by eight wickets, in the opening match of the Quadrangular Twenty20 Series, in Billericay (England), on Thursday.
India's batting collapsed like a deck of cards, all out for just 62 runs, after being invited to bat at the Toby Howe Cricket Ground.
The Australians overhauled the target with 9.4 overs to spare, Leah Poulton scoring an unbeaten 31 and Meg Lanning contributing 23.
Harmanpreet Kaur waged a lone battle for India with a gritty 41 off 49 balls.
None of her teammates could get into double digit scores.
Four Indian batters -- Diana David, Amita Sharma, Snehal Pradhan and Gouher Sulatana -- were out without scoring, and the highest contribution after Harmanpreet's knock was in the form of six extras.
V Krishnamurthy and skipper Jhulan Goswami scored two runs each.
Fast bowler Clea Smith began the rot, dismissing both the Indian openers, Poonam Raut (4) and Anagha Deshpande (1).
Mithali Raj was out to Sarah Coyte, who was the most successful bowler for Australia with four wickets, as India slumped to three for eight.
Coyte gave away just five runs in her four overs and ran through the lower order.
India never recovered from the disastrous start and could crossed the 50-run mark only because of Harmanpreet's knock, which was studded with three fours and two sixes.
Smith (2/16) and Shelley Nitscke (2/10) bagged two wickets each for Australia.
India next plays New Zealand, on Saturday.
