The India Women’s cricket team is set to face the formidable Australia Women in the first of a three-match ODI series on September 14, 2025, at the Mullanpur Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh. With the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 looming, this series serves as a critical opportunity for the hosts to fine-tune their strategies and squad combinations against one of the world’s strongest teams.
Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, with Smriti Mandhana as vice-captain, India aims to leverage home conditions to challenge Australia’s dominance and build momentum for the global tournament. Australia, captained by Alyssa Healy, brings a wealth of experience and depth, bolstered by the inclusion of uncapped spinner Charli Knott as a backup for Sophie Molineux. This opening encounter promises high-intensity cricket as both teams vie for early supremacy.
Pitch and Weather Report
The Mullanpur Cricket Stadium, hosting its first major international women’s ODI, is expected to offer a balanced surface. Based on limited data from domestic matches, the pitch typically supports both batters and bowlers, with an average first-innings score around 220–250 in women’s ODIs.
Early assistance for seamers, particularly with the new ball, may benefit India’s Renuka Singh Thakur and Australia’s Megan Schutt. As the game progresses, spinners like Deepti Sharma and Ashleigh Gardner could play a pivotal role on a surface likely to offer turn in the middle overs. Weather in Chandigarh on September 14 is forecasted to be clear, with temperatures around 30–33°C and moderate humidity, ensuring uninterrupted play and favorable conditions for a high-scoring contest.
Head-to-Head Records
Historically, Australia Women have dominated India Women in ODIs, holding a 40–10 win-loss record across 52 encounters, with two matches ending without a result. In their most recent bilateral series in Australia in 2021, Australia secured a 2–1 victory. However, India showed resilience, particularly in their batting, with standout performances from Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur.
Playing at home, India will draw confidence from their familiarity with conditions, but overcoming Australia’s versatile bowling attack, led by Ellyse Perry and Annabel Sutherland, remains a formidable challenge. The head-to-head stats underscore Australia’s edge, but India’s recent form suggests they can compete fiercely.
Predicted Playing 11
India Women: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy, Radha Yadav, Sneh Rana.
Australia Women: Alyssa Healy (c), Beth Mooney, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (vc), Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Sophie Molineux, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown.
Match-Winning Prediction
Australia enters as the favorites, given their historical dominance and depth in both batting and bowling. According to betting odds and team form, they have a slight edge, particularly with their versatile all-rounders. However, India’s home advantage, coupled with the form of Mandhana and Sharma, could make this a close contest.
If India’s spinners exploit the pitch effectively, they have a realistic chance of an upset. The match is likely to hinge on the middle overs, where India’s spin bowling could counter Australia’s aggressive batting. Expect a tightly fought game, with Australia predicted to win by a narrow margin.
Also Read: ENG-W vs IND-W: Harmanpreet Kaur’s Blazing 82-Ball Century Seals India’s Series Win