Captain Alyssa Healy led from the front in a record chase as her innings set the platform for a close 3-wicket win. Alyssa Healy looked determined and led from the front in the field before leading with the bat as well. They put India into bat first. India put in an all-round batting display led by Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal, but Annabel Sutherland’s 5-wicket haul limited the Women in Blue to 330 in 48.5 overs.
In reply, Alyssa Healy’s 142 set the chase up and guided the chase with others chipping in including Ellyse Perry from injury as she hit the winning runs as Australia survived Charani’s inspiring spell to go win and complete the record chase and go top of the points table Second consecutive loss for India and there are problems of plenty for Women in Blue.
Annabel Sutherland’s 5-wicket haul restricts India to 330 in 48.5 overs.Â
Put into bat first, Pratika Rawal and Smriti Mandhana came out to bat for India while Kim Garth had ball in hand for Australia. Mandhana got off the mark with a boundary through a crunching cover drive as she got her 600th four in ODIs. Megan Schutt took the ball from the other end and she bowled a decent over. Garth too delivered a decent over. Rawal then broke the shackles as she flicked it away between midwicket and mid-on for a boundary. Rawal then hit Garth for a boundary by flicking it to left of deep square leg for a boundary.
Schutt continued and bowled a miserly over. Ashleigh Gardner came into the attack as we had a change in bowling. Gardner bowled a tight first over. Sophie Molineux took the ball from the other end. She was welcomed into the attack by a boundary from Mandhana as she cleared her front leg and heaved it over midwicket for a boundary. Mandhana was not done yet as she cleared her front leg and launched it over long-on for the maximum. Mandhana also hit Molineux by going deep in her crease and pulled it behind square on the leg side for a boundary.
Gardner continued as Rawal hit her powerfully past mid-off as the ball raced away to the fence. Rawal then took the attack to Gardner by coming down the ground and smoked it over long-on for the maximum. Mandhana welcomed Molineux by rocking back and punched it between cover and point for a boundary. At the end of 10 overs of powerplay, India were 58/0 and off to a decent start.
Annabel Sutherland came into the attack next. She started her spell with a decent over. Gardner continued and bowled a tight over as well. Sutherland continued as Rawal broke the shackles by taking the bowler on and went for the pull shot and hit it to the right of deep square leg. Gardner moved across swiftly but failed to get to the ball. The ball went away to the fence. Gardner continued as Mandhana showed her cheekiness by shuffling across and ramping it past vacant fine leg region for a boundary. Sutherland continued and bowled another tight over.
Mandhana took on Gardner as there was a length ball wide outside off-stump turned away a tad. Mandhana rocked back and punched it in the gap between cover and point for a boundary. Mandhana stayed back and punched it between point and cover point for a boundary. Sutherland continued as Rawal managed to get a boundary away through the midwicket region. India were 90/0 in 17 overs when the first break happened.
Tahlia McGrath came into the attack post Drinks. Rawal was dropped at short midwicket as King put her down and this drop could hurt Australia later on. Garth continued as Mandhana got to her fifty in 46 balls as she has held the innings together for India. Rawal then took the aerial route and picked up a boundary by getting down on one knee and heave it to deep midwicket for a boundary. The 100 came up for India in 18.4 overs. McGrath came to bowl 20th over. Australia at the end of 20 overs were 107/0.
Garth continued as Rawal got to her fifty with a boundary off Garth. Full on the off-stump, Rawal lofted it with a straight bat over the bowler’s head one bounce and over the ropes it meant. She got a hug from her teammates. Garth then hit Rawal for a boundary by playing an on-drive as Rawal reached her fifty in 69 balls. Mandhana took it on and went fuller outside off-stump. Mandhana got underneath it and lofted it over extra cover and that meant plenty of overs of second innings will be cut. Mandhana got to 5,000 runs in ODI cricket.
Mandhana took her on as she muscled it down the ground for a boundary. McGrath was in a spot of bother and under pressure gifting Australia away. Rawal dispatched McGrath by pulling it to deep backward square leg for a boundary. McGrath came back and bowled a good over as the required rate climbed up. She now built a good system that’s all.
Sophie Molineaux came back into the attack. Mandhana got a low full toss on the stumps. Mandhana got down on one knee and heaved in the gap between deep midwicket and long-on for a boundary. McGrath continued as Mandhana launched it with a slice over deep point over Perry for the maximum. Rawal then drilled her down the ground past mid-off for a boundary to end the over as the 150 came up for India in 24 overs.
Molineux got the breakthrough for Australia as she removed Mandhana for 80 off 66 balls with 9 fours and 3 sixes to her name. Sophie from over the wicket bowled full and outside off-stump. Mandhana got down on one knee and looked to go big over deep midwicket with a slog sweep. She didn’t time it well and ended up chipping it straight to Phoebe Litchfield who made no mistake. Harleen Deol came out to bat next and got off the mark as India reached 156/1 in 25 overs at the halfway stage of the innings.
Alana King was introduced into the attack next. King bowled a decent first over. Molineux continued as Deol took her on and launched it straight down the ground over long-off for the maximum. Deol completed 1000 runs in ODIs. King continued as Rawal got an outside edge that ran down to the third man fence for a boundary. Sutherland returned to the attack and bowled a decent over as 5 penalty runs happened with the ball hitting the helmet. King continued as Deol got down on one knee and went for the slog sweep that fell just short of deep square leg fielder for a boundary. After 30 overs, India were 192/1 and well-placed at this stage.
Sutherland provided the breakthrough as she removed Rawal for 75 off 96 balls with 10 fours and a maximum to her name. She bowled the short ball on off-stump angling into the batter. Rawal took it on and went for the pull. He hit it straight to deep backward square leg where Perry took the catch. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur came to the crease now and got off the mark straightaway. King continued as Deol got down on one knee and swept it to deep fine leg for a boundary as the 200 came up for India in 31.2 overs. Kaur joined in the fun as she cleared her front leg and smashed it to the left of mid-on for a boundary.
Sutherland continued and bowled a quiet over. India’s score was 210/2 in 33 overs when we had the Drinks Break. King continued after the break as Deol got down on one knee and swept it to the left of deep square leg for a boundary. Megan Schutt returned to the bowling crease as Harmanpreet cleared her front leg and lofted it over mid-off for a boundary and then showed deft touch by opening the bat face to beat backward point to her left with a boundary. Molineux continued and bowled a decent over.
Schutt continued and got rid of Kaur for 22 off 17 balls with 3 fours to her name. Length ball on the stumps, Kaur backed away making room to access the off-side. She cut it but failed to keep it down as the ball went straight into the hands of Molineux who completed the catch. Jemimah Rodrigues came out to bat next and got off the mark with a boundary. Jemimah just opened the face of the bat and steered it down to deep third man for a boundary.
Molineux came back and struck for Australia removing Deol for 38 off 42 balls with 3 fours and a maximum to her name. Sophie bowled full and tossed it up at the stumps. Deol stepped down and looked to launch it over long-off but ended up slicing it up in the air towards long-off. Sutherland settled underneath it and took a simple catch. Richa Ghosh came out to bat next.
Schutt returned to the crease as Rodrigues managed to get a boundary away through deep midwicket region. King continued as she was launched by Richa as she got down on one knee and slogged it across the line for the maximum over deep square leg. At the end of 40 overs, India were 261/4.
Megan Schutt continued but then pulled out with an injury and McGrath was called in to complete the over. Jemimah took the aerial route and beat mid-off by clearing her front leg for a boundary. Richa then took full toll of McGrath by smashing her down the ground over long-off for the maximum. Richa then pulled it away to deep square leg for a boundary. Molineux continued as Rodrigues played the reverse sweep through short third man for a boundary. Richa then went inside out and lofted it over covers for a boundary.
Sutherland returned to the bowling crease as Ghosh pulled it to deep backward square leg for a boundary. Sutherland eventually broke the budding partnership as she removed Richa for 32 off 22 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes to her name. Short of a length from Sutherland outside off with pace off the ball. Ghosh looked to muscle it over long-on but failed to get the timing right. She ended up hitting it straight down the throat of Georgia Wareham who made no mistake. 50th ODI wicket for Sutherland. Amanjot Kaur came out to bat next.
Molineux continued as Amanjot got off the mark with a boundary by rocking onto the back foot and pulled it to deep midwicket for a boundary. The 300 came up for India in 43.3 overs. Sutherland continued as Rodrigues shuffled across the low full toss and shuffled across to ramp it over short fine leg for a boundary. Sutherland removed Rodrigues for 33 off 21 balls with 5 fours to her name.
Sutherland bowled full and slower one outside off-stump. Jemimah backed away and looked to heave it across the line and got a top edge that went high in the air. Mooney ran to her right from mid-off to settle underneath it and took the catch. Deepti Sharma came to the crease and survived a close caught behind appeal. India were 310/6 in 45 overs.
Gardner came back into the attack and bowled a decent over. Molineux came back for her final over as Amanjot started the over with a boundary by rocking back and pulling it to vacant deep midwicket for a boundary. Sophie came back and removed Deepti Sharma for 1 off 6 balls. Sophie bowled full and tossed up at the stumps. Deepti stepped down the track and looked to go big over long-on. She failed to get the timing right and hit it straight down the throat of Beth Mooney who took the catch. Sneh Rana came to the crease next and got off the mark straightaway.
Gardner returned as Rana helped the ball away to deep fine leg for a boundary. Rana was dropped in the deep by Wareham off Gardner. Gardner then removed Amanjot for 16 off 12 balls with 2 fours to her name. Gardner bowled full and on off-stump. Amanjot backed away and looked to go over extra cover. She got an outside edge slicing it to backward point where Molineux took a simple catch to her left. Kranti Gaud came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Annabel Sutherland came back to bowl the 49th over. She removed Kranti Gaud for 1 off 3 balls. Fuller length and slower one outside off-stump. Gaud was too early on the lofted drive and chipped it straight to Beth Mooney at long-on who took the catch. Nallapureddy Charani came out to bat next. She was dismissed by Sutherland for a silver duck as Sutherland finished with five-wicket haul.
Sutherland bowled a short of a length outside off-stump with pace on this time. Charani looked to slap it to cover but got an inside edge that rolled back to hit the base of middle stump. India were bowled out for 330 in 48.5 overs. Rana remained unbeaten on 8 off 6 balls with a boundary to her name. 24 extras given by the Australian team.
Annabel Sutherland was the pick of the bowlers for Australia with figures of 5/40 in 9.5 overs. Sophie Molineux supported her well with 3/75 in 10 overs. Ashleigh Gardner finished with 1/40 in 7 overs. Megan Schutt finished with 1/37 in 6.1 overs. Kim Garth finished with 0/35 in 5 overs. Tahlia McGrath gave away 43 runs in 4.5 overs. Alana King gave away 49 runs in 6 overs. Australia now needed a world record run chase of 331 runs to win off 50 overs.
Alyssa Healy’s masterful ton leads Australia to an important win over India.Â
Chasing 331 for the win, captain Alyssa Healy and Phoebe Litchfield came out to open for Australia while Amanjot Kaur had ball in hand for India. Litchfield made her intentions clear as she drove with an open face and beat backward point for a boundary. Kranti Gaud came onto bowl from the other end. Litchfield was on a roll as she looked to drive and got an outside edge that beat Deepti Sharma at backward point for a boundary. Kaur continued and bowled a miserly over. Gaud bowled a maiden over next.
Healy broke the shackles as she heaved into the leg side to midwicket region for a boundary. Healy two balls later smashed down the ground past the bowler for a boundary to long-off. Gaud continued as Healy smashed hard through deep point fielder for a boundary. Sneh Rana came into the attack next. Litchfield took her on and lofted it over deep extra cover for the maximum.
Gaud continued as Healy took her on and deposited over wide long-on for the maximum. Healy was not done yet as she smashed back to-back boundaries first through deep midwicket and then to deep midwicket fence again for a boundary. Healy hit Gaud through the left of short extra cover for a boundary. Rana continued as Healy hammered her over extra covers for a boundary. Amanjot returned to bowl the final over of the powerplay. Litchfield welcomed her back by shuffling across and ramped it in the vacant fine leg region for a boundary. Litchfield managed to hit two more boundaries in a row through midwicket and through point region for a boundary.
Richa missed a stumping opportunity off Kaur as Litchfield survived a scare. Litchfield drilled her down the ground for a boundary beating mid-on. At the end of 10 overs, Australia were flying high at 82/0 and off to a great start. Rana continued after the powerplay and had an appeal for LBW against Healy which was turned down. India reviewed and lost it as the decision was upheld.
Nallapureddy Charani came into the attack next. Charani provided the breakthrough for India as she removed Litchfield for 40 off 39 balls with 6 fours and a maximum to her name. Charani bowled full and outside off from over the wicket. Litchfield went to play the reverse sweep. She nailed it from the middle of the bat but it went straight to Sneh Rana at backward point who took a sharp catch at the edge of the circle. Ellyse Perry came out to bat next.
Deepti Sharma came onto bowl next. Healy welcomed her by cutting her to deep point for a boundary. Perry managed to get the outside edge past the keeper for a boundary to get off the mark. Charani continued as Healy reached her fifty in 35 balls and it was a welcome return to form for the skipper. This was her fourth fifty against India in ODIs. At the Drinks Break, Australia were 97/1 in 14 overs. Deepti continued and bowled a decent over as the 100 came up for Australia in 15 overs.
Charani continued to keep things tight from one end. There was a mix-up between the batters, but Perry was safe in the end. Perry was on the charge as Perry slapped down and lofted it over extra cover for a boundary. Gaud returned to the attack and bowled a tight over. Rana came back into the attack as Perry played the reverse sweep to beat backward point for a boundary. Healy then cut Rana through point region for a boundary. Perry hit a cracking stroke by slicing it away past point for a boundary. Australia reached 132/1 in 20 overs.
Rana continued as the 50-run stand came up between Perry and Healy. Healy then swept Rana by going down on one knee and swept it to left of short fine leg for a boundary. Charani came back and bowled a maiden over. Deepti returned as Healy broke the shackles with a boundary by sweeping it to deep backward square leg. Healy then pulled it to deep midwicket for a boundary off Sharma. The 150 came up in 23.1 overs as Charani continued to keep things tight.
Ellyse Perry suffered from cramps and had a word with physio before walking off while batting on 32 off 40 balls. Beth Mooney came out to bat next. Deepti bowled a decent over as Australia reached 158/1 in 25 overs at the halfway stage of the chase. Harmanpreet Kaur came into the attack next. Healy smoked her as well by stepping down and whipped it over midwicket region for a boundary. Healy was not done yet as she smashed Kaur over extra covers for another boundary.
Deepti then gave India something to cheer about as she removed Beth Mooney for 4 off 8 balls. Deepti bowled full and tossed up outside off-stump. Mooney stepped down the track and looked to smash it downtown. She hit it uppishly to the left of extra cover. Rodrigues dived full length and took a stunning catch mid air. Annabel Sutherland came out to bat next.
Charani removed Sutherland for a silver duck. She bowled from around the wicket a length ball on the leg stump turned away a touch. Sutherland stepped down the track and looked to push at that but got beaten on the outside edge by the turn. The ball hit the top of middle stump. Ashleigh Gardner came out to bat next and got off the mark soon. Deepti bowled a miserly over as well. Charani continued as Gardner took her on as she stepped down the track and lofted it over the bowler’s head for the maximum. Australia were now 186/3 in 30 overs.
Rana came back into the attack as Healy swept her on one knee to deep square leg for a boundary. Healy then reached her century off 84 balls and was her first ton as captain, second against India and 3rd in World Cup. It was also her 6th hundred overall. Healy then climbed onto Rana by hitting a boundary over covers and then the maximum over midwicket region as the 200 came up for Australia in 31 overs. The Drinks Break was taken with the score at 202/3 in 31 overs.
Charani bowled another decent over. Gaud bowled and was pulled by Healy towards the deep midwicket region for a boundary. Gardner crunched Amanjot for a boundary through deep cover region. Healy then rocked back and pulled Amanjot through deep backward square leg for a boundary. Gardner took on Deepti and clipped it away through short fine leg for a boundary. Rana continued as Healy stepped down the track and heaved it between long-on and deep midwicket for a boundary.
Healy showed innovation as she played the reverse sweep to beat short third man for a boundary. Rana continued as Healy was on a roll by going deep and cleared Mandhana at deep backward square leg for the maximum. Healy then got down on one knee and swept it to deep midwicket for a boundary. Charani continued as Gardner hit her by pulling it to deep fine leg for a boundary.
Charani finally gave India the breakthrough removing the big fish Healy for 142 off 107 balls with 21 fours and 3 sixes to her name. Charani bowled full and outside off-stump. Healy backed away and carved it with an open bat face to backward point. Rana dived forward and took a one-handed stunner. The decision was sent upstairs and the umpire deemed it as a safe catch by Rana. Tahlia McGrath came out to bat next. Charani finished her spell.
Gaud continued as McGrath stepped down the ground and flat batted it over mid-on for a boundary. Tahlia then drove the ball through covers as the ball raced away to the fence. Australia were 274/4 at the completion of 40 overs. Deepti continued as McGrath got down on one knee and swept it to deep backward square leg for a boundary. Deepti then got rid of McGrath for 12 off 8 balls with 3 fours to her name.
Deepti bowled full and outside off-stump turning in. McGrath shuffled across a little and looked to flick but missed on the inside edge. The ball hit her front pad. Appeal was turned down. India reviewed and got the decision overturned in their favour. Sophie Molineux came out to bat next.
Amanjot continued as Sophie pierced the gap nicely as she rocked back and pulled it in the gap between deep midwicket and long-on for a boundary. Deepti continued and bowled a tight over. Molineux backed away and looked to cut it away but got an outside edge down to deep third man region as the ball raced away to the fence. Amanjot hit back and got rid of Gardner for 45 off 46 balls with 3 fours and a maximum to her name.
Amanjot bowled a length ball on the off-stump nipping back in off the surface. Gardner looked to work it on the leg side and got an inside edge that rolled back onto the pads before deflecting onto the stumps. Ellyse Perry came back to the middle to steer the side home. Australia brought up their 300 in 44 overs. Rana bowled a decent over as Australia were 303/6 in 45 overs.
Amanjot then struck for India getting rid of Sophie for 18 off 19 balls with 2 fours to her name. She bowled from around the wicket a length ball outside off-stump angling in and keeps low. Molineux was late on the pull shot and wore it on the back pad. The umpire gave it OUT. The batter reviewed in hope and burnt the review for Australia. Kim Garth came out to bat next. She got off the mark straightaway.
Kranti Gaud returned as Garth rocked back and cut the short and wide ball through deep backward point for a boundary. Perry too got a crucial boundary away by hitting the full toss to the right of long-on to beat Radha Yadav for a boundary. Kaur continued and bowled a decent over. Rana had ball in hand as Garth played the reverse sweep through vacant third man region for a boundary.
Perry decided enough is enough and smashed Rana down the ground over long-on straight as an arrow for the maximum as Australia achieve a record chase with 3 wickets and an over to spare. Perry remained unbeaten on 47 off 52 balls with 5 fours and a maximum to her name while Kim Garth remained unbeaten on 14 off 13 balls with 2 fours to her name. 9 extras given by the fielding side.
Nallapureddy Charani was the pick of the bowlers for India with figures of 3/41 in 10 overs. Deepti Sharma bowled well for her 2/52 in 10 overs. Amanjot Kaur chipped in with 2/68 in 10 overs. Kranti Gaud went for 73 in 9 overs. Sneh Rana went for 85 in 10 overs. Harmanpreet Kaur’s one over went for 10 runs. So, Australia win this game by 3 wickets and for her captain’s knock of 142 runs, Alyssa Healy was awarded the Player of the Match.
What Lies Ahead.Â
We stay in Visakhapatnam for tomorrow’s game as well where South Africa will take on Bangladesh in Match 14 of the Women’s World Cup 2025 on 13th October 2025 at 3 PM IST. Important game with 2 points up for grabs. Let’s see how things pan out in this game.
Also Read: ICC Women’s ODI WC 2025: All-Round Batting Performance Helps India Post 330.