Australian women's team started their World Cup preparations with a dominant eight-wicket victory over India in the first ODI on September 14, Sunday. The clinical win serves as a wake-up call for the Harmanpreet Kaur's brigade ahead of the Women's World Cup, who were outplayed by the defending champions. With this dominant win, Australia have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Australia women bulldoze India by 8 wickets
Batting first India rode on brilliant fifties from Pratika Rawal (64), Smriti Mandhana (58) and Harleen Deol (54) to post a competitive total of 281/7. In reply, Australia overhauled the target without breaking a sweat with 35 balls to spare, thanks to handsome centuries from Phoebe Litchfield (88), Beth Mooney (77) and Annabel Sutherland (54).
The second ODI between India and Australia will be played on September 17.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat, the India Women's team got off to a fantastic start thanks to a strong opening partnership between Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal. The pair put on over 100 runs for the first wicket, with both batters confidently scoring half-centuries. However, the momentum shifted when a miscommunication led to a run-out, with Mandhana (58 off 63) being dismissed by a direct hit from Phoebe Litchfield.
Following Mandhana's departure, Harleen Deol came in at number three, but the scoring rate began to slow down around the halfway mark. Pratika, who was well-set on 64, was dismissed shortly after, followed by the early exit of captain Harmanpreet Kaur. Despite the loss of wickets, Harleen continued to score, bringing up her half-century before being stumped with ten overs remaining. In the final stretch, Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma added crucial quick runs to help India reach a competitive total of 281 for 7 in their 50 overs. The Australian bowlers deserve credit for their disciplined fightback after being dominated in the first 20 overs of the innings.
Chasing a target of 282, the Australian women's team got off to a strong start, reaching 58/1 within the first ten overs despite losing opener Alyssa Healy early. The Indian bowlers introduced spin during the powerplay, but Phoebe Litchfield and Ellyse Perry handled it confidently, playing powerful shots and building a solid partnership. They brought up the 100-run mark without further loss before Perry was forced to retire hurt with a calf strain.
Beth Mooney joined Litchfield, and the pair continued to keep the scoreboard ticking, accelerating the chase to 157/1 in just 25 overs. India's performance was lackluster, with dropped catches and sloppy fielding making matters worse. While Sneh Rana eventually dismissed Litchfield for a well-made 88, denying her a century, Mooney continued to dominate the Indian attack. Annabel Sutherland provided excellent support at the other end. The duo went on to share a match-winning 116-run partnership, with both batters scoring unbeaten half-centuries. Their efforts helped Australia cruise to an eight-wicket victory with more than five overs to spare. For India, Kranti Goud and Sneh Rana were the only bowlers to take a wicket each, while the rest of the attack struggled to make an impact. India's poor fielding, including a day full of dropped catches, was a major factor in their defeat.