The Australian women’s team pulled off an impressive victory against India at the Wankhede Stadium, chasing down 283 runs with 21 deliveries to spare. This triumph gave them a 1-0 lead in the ongoing three-match ODI series during this tour.
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Despite posting their highest-ever ODI total against Australia, India Women faced their sixth consecutive defeat and eighth consecutive loss at home. In the first match, Australia secured a commanding six-wicket victory on Thursday. Phoebe Litchfield (78) and Ellyse Perry (75) played a crucial role in Australia’s successful chase, forming a solid 148-run partnership for the second wicket. This effort helped Australia reach 285/4 in 46.3 overs, surpassing India’s 282/8 and taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
However, after Phoebe and Ellyse’s dismissals, Beth Mooney (42) and Tahlia McGrath (68 not out) further dismantled India with their 88-run stand for the fourth wicket. Despite the Indian bowlers being unable to make an impact, Australia comfortably sealed the win with 21 balls and six wickets to spare.
India initially gained an advantage by dismissing Alyssa Healy (0) in the first over, thanks to Sneh Rana’s acrobatic catch off Renuka Thakur. Unfortunately, India couldn’t capitalize on this early success, and Australia dominated the game, capitalizing on some lackluster fielding from the hosts.
Even skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s bowling couldn’t rescue the side on a flat wicket, as she conceded 32 runs in three overs without taking a wicket. Ellyse Perry recorded her fifth fifty against India, while Phoebe Litchfield bounced back strongly from her recent one-off Test performance, showcasing her batting prowess.
The 148-run partnership between Ellyse and Phoebe now stands as the third-highest second-wicket partnership against India in ODIs. Despite their impressive contributions, both players were responsible for their dismissals. Ellyse, after hitting nine fours and two sixes, fell to a well-placed shot to Pooja Vastrakar off Deepti Sharma at long-on. Meanwhile, Phoebe’s innings of 78 runs from 89 balls, featuring eight fours and a six, showcased her skillful reverse sweep shots.
