Lanning helps Australia crush Ireland by 78 runs

SYLHET: Meg Lanning made the second-highest score in all Twenty20 international cricket to power Australia Women to an imposing 191 for four batting first.

Chasing 192 was an uphill task for Ireland as they finished 113 for seven, 79 runs short of the target.

Lanning slammed 126 off 65 balls, which puts her second only to countryman Aaron Finch on the list of top T20 scores. She beat South Africa Women's batsman Shandre Fritz's 116 to go to the top on the women’s charts, then went past Brendon McCullum's 123 to go to No. 2 overall; Finch had pummeled 156 against England last August.

Australia’s innings was built around two main partnerships: first Lanning put on 86 in 10 overs with Delissa Kimmince, then she added 83 in just seven with Alex Blackwell. That Kimmince contributed 35 at a run a ball and Blackwell just 12 at a similar rate shows the dominance of Lanning. She hit 18 fours and four sixes in all, to ensure both her strike rate and the team's total were nudging 200.

Several of Ireland's batsmen were able to get into double-digits in the chase, but none could really kick on or make an impact on the required rate. A couple of run-outs did not help their cause, and pacer Ellyse Perry was accurate and incisive on her way to two for 17.

Australia registered their second win in three games with ease.