What we saw today in Mullanpur was a professional performance from India as they outplayed the Australians in all facets of the game to win by 102 runs and level the series at 1-1. India looked determined out there to prove a point and prove a point they did today. Put into bat first, India rode on Smriti Mandhana’s 12th ODI ton and contributions from players around her propelled the score to 292 which is the highest score against Australia in ODIs.
In reply, Australia lost wickets at regular intervals as no one got past 50 with Kranti Goud picking up 3 wickets while Deepti Sharma picked up 2 wickets and others chipped in as the Aussies were skittled out for 190 in 40.5 overs to lose the match by 102 runs. The series is all set for a decider in New Delhi on Saturday 20th September 2025.
Smriti Mandhana’s majestic 12th ODI ton propels India to 292
Put into bat first, Pratika Rawal and Smriti Mandhana walked out to bat for India while Megan Schutt had ball in hand for Australia. Schutt bowled a tidy first over. It was spin from the other end as Ashleigh Gardner was given the ball next. Mandhana made her intentions clear as she launched Gardner by coming down the track and hitting over long-on for the maximum. Schutt gave away 4 leg byes away as she drifted onto the pads to the fine leg fence.
Gardner bowled a maiden over to Pratika Rawal. Mandhana then hit Schutt for a boundary through streaky circumstances as the ball got the outside edge through the gap of first slip and gully. Rawal then broke free and pulled Schutt away through forward square leg for a boundary. Mandhana took on Gardner yet again by using her feet and thumped it straight down the ground for the maximum.
Rawal then took on Schutt and hit her for two consecutive boundaries first through mid-off and then through backward point. Rawal hit another boundary two balls later by flicking it through backward square leg for a boundary. Darcie Brown came into the attack next and was welcomed by Mandhana for a boundary as the batter drove the ball through the cover point region. The 50 came up for India in 7.2 overs and of the partnership between the duo.
Ellyse Perry was introduced into the attack as Mandhana walked down the track and flicked it away over the top of midwicket for a boundary. Mandhana hit another boundary off Perry by taking the aerial route and heaved it away over the top of midwicket for one bounce and over the ropes. Darcie Brown bowled a decent 10th over. At the end of 10 overs, India were 64/0 and off to a solid start after being inserted into bat first.
Perry continued and bowled a steady over. Gardner came back into the attack and got rid of Pratika Rawal for 25 off 32 balls with 4 fours to her name. Gardner tossed it up full around the fifth stump, Gardner pulled her length slightly back. Rawal lunged forward and went for the expansive drive. She was nowhere to the pitch of the ball. She drove it uppishly and the fielder at short extra cover grabbed a simple catch. Harleen Deol came out to bat next and got off the mark with a brace.
Annabel Sutherland came onto bowl next. Harleen Deol was adjudged LBW to Sutherland but the batter reviewed it and turned the decision in her favour. Gardner bowled a miserly over. Mandhana broke the shackles as she hit Sutherland by shuffling across and used the pace of the ball and ramped it down to the fine leg fence for a boundary. After 15 overs, India were 81/1 with the players taking the Drinks Break.
Georgia Wareham came into the attack post Drinks as Mandhana launched Wareham by getting down on one knee and nailed the slog sweep which sailed over deep midwicket for the maximum as she brought up her 33rd ODI fifty. Mandhana hit another boundary through the gap of deep midwicket and long-on for a boundary. Sutherland bowled a tidy over. Mandhana creamed Wareham inside out over extra cover for a boundary as the 100 came up for India in 17.1 overs. Mandhana came down the track and heaved it away to the leg side. Brown at deep square leg ran to her right and got two hands to it. She failed to hold onto the chance. The ball went away to the midwicket fence.
Mandhana once again went down the ground as she launched her for the maximum over wide long-on. Deol then hit Sutherland by crisply driving through cover point. Harleen Deol was run out due to a mix up for 10 off 24 balls with a boundary to her name. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur came out to bat next. Darcie Brown came back into the attack and bowled a miserly over as India reached 121/2 in 20 overs. Megan Schutt returned as Kaur punched it crisply through the covers for a boundary.
Kaur hit Brown for a boundary guided it past the left of backward point. Mandhana then hit Schutt for a boundary by rocking back and opened the bat face through the gap for a boundary. Ashleigh Gardner returned to the attack and bowled a tidy over. Annabel Sutherland came back into the attack as Mandhana cleared her front leg and lofted it over top of mid-off for a boundary. At the halfway stage of the Indian innings, the Men In Blue were well-placed at 152/2 in 25 overs.
Gardner returned and got rid of Kaur for 17 off 26 balls. Gardner bowled a loopy delivery full and wide outside off-stump, Kaur reached for it and sliced it uppishly to the right of Sutherland at backward point who took a simple catch. Deepti Sharma came out to bat next. She soon got off the mark. Deepti got a streaky boundary as the ball ran down to third man fence. Sharma survived a close run out appeal as the direct him missed the target.
Mandhana swept away over backward square leg for a boundary. Tahlia McGrath came into the attack next, Mandhana reached her 12th ODI ton in style as she lofted McGrath over mid-off for a boundary. It is also her third ton in 2025 and her third against Australia. She got there in 77 balls. McGrath bowled a tidy over. Gardner continued as Mandhana rocked back and carved away through the gap of backward point and short third man for a boundary. India are now 180/3 in 30 overs.
McGrath returned and conceded a boundary through the diving backward point fielder as Mandhana showed her class. Gardner bowled a tidy over and ended her spell. McGrath returned and got rid of Mandhana for 117 off 91 balls with 14 fours and 4 sixes to her name. The bowler bowled a length ball around off-stump, Mandhana shuffled across the stumps and heaves it away on the onside. She didn’t get enough elevation on that one as Gardner settled underneath it at deep midwicket and took a good catch. Mandhana departed to a standing ovation as Richa Ghosh came out to bat next.
Richa eventually got off the mark. Alana King was finally brought into the attack. She started off with a decent first over. The 200 came up for India in 34.1 overs. Healy then dropped a tough chance off King as Richa got a life. Georgia Wareham came back into the attack as Ghosh swept her for a boundary through short fine leg. Richa hit King for a boundary through extra covers. Wareham too kept things tight. Deepti hit King for a welcome boundary through the midwicket region. Ghosh swept hard through deep backward square leg nailing it for a boundary.
After 40 overs, India were 235/4 and looked set to get a big score. Brown continued and bowled a miserly over. Annabel Sutherland came back into the attack and she dismissed Richa Ghosh for 29 off 33 balls with 3 fours to her name. Sutherland bowled a slower delivery full around leg stump. Richa got down on one knee and looked to swipe it away behind square on the leg side as she got a top edge as Voll at short fine leg dived forward and took a good low catch. Radha Yadav came out to bat next and got off the mark as well.
Radha then hit Brown for a boundary by tickling it down to the fine leg fence. Darcie then removed Radha via a successful usage of DRS. Brown bowled a back of a length delivery around off-stump slower ball. Radha looked to help it away behind square on the leg side. She was through the shot way too early. The ball kept a tad low as well. Radha got beaten on the inside edge and wore it on the back pad. The decision was reversed as the umpire gave it NOT OUT initially. Arundhati Reddy came out to bat next.
Sutherland bowled a decent over. Brown got rid of Reddy for 4 off 6 balls. Length ball around off-stump that pitched and tailed back in a shade. Arundhati hung back and looked to work it away on the leg side and it keeps a bit low as Arundhati got beaten for pace. She missed it completely and the ball rattled the stumps. Sneh Rana came out to bat next and got off the mark. Rana managed to get an outside edge through the third man region for a boundary. After 45 overs, India Women were 262/7.
Sutherland gave away 10 runs in the 46th over. Darcie Brown removed Deepti Sharma for 40 off 53 balls with 2 fours to her name. She bowled from around the wicket a fuller length at the stumps right in the slot for the batter. Deepti cleared her front leg and looked to smash it over the top of mid-on. She mistimed it from the toe end of her blade. Sutherland at mid-on back tracked and took a comfortable catch. Kranti Goud came out to bat next.
Goud was dropped by Brown off her own bowling as a tough chance went down. Goud was next run out for 2 off 4 balls as a miscommunication led to her downfall. Renuka Singh Thakur came to the crease next. She got off the mark straightaway. Rana decided to take on Sutherland as she hit her for back-to-back boundaries through cover point and through short fine leg region. Renuka survived a run out check in the final over. But Schutt removed Rana for 24 off 18 balls with 3 fours to her name.
She bowled it full around the sixth stump line, Rana shuffled far too across the stumps and swung his bat across the line. She got a top edge which ballooned up in the air. The fielder at short third man took the catch easily as India were bowled out for 292 in 49.5 overs. Thakur remained unbeaten on 3 off 6 balls. 15 extras given by Australian bowlers.
Darcie Brown was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/42 in 8 overs. Ashleigh Gardner bowled well for her 2/39 in 10 overs. A wicket apiece for Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, and Tahlia McGrath. The rest remained wicketless and went for runs. This meant that Australia needed 293 runs to win off 50 overs to take a winning 2-0 lead in the 3-match series.
Kranti Goud’s 3/28 in 9.5 overs helps India to skittle Australia out for 190 in 40.5 overs
Chasing 293 for the win, captain Alyssa Healy and Georgia Voll came out to bat for Australia while Kranti Goud had ball in hand for India. Healy hit Goud for a boundary as the ball flew over backward point for a boundary. Renuka Singh Thakur came into the attack next. Richa dropped Voll off Thakur. But Thakur got rid of Voll for a duck. It was a short of a length delivery outside off-stump. Voll hung back and looked to pull it away on the leg side as she got an inside edge as the ball crashed onto the stumps. Ellyse Perry came out to bat next. Goud bowled a miserly over. Thakur too kept things tight.
Goud eventually dismissed Healy for 9 off 19 balls. Goud pitched it up at the pads, Healy flicked it away aerially on the onside. Reddy at deep backward point settled underneath it and took a comfortable catch. Beth Mooney came to the crease now. Perry hit Thakur for a boundary by guiding it past short third man. Goud continued as Mooney got a reprieve as Richa failed to hold onto the ball and dropped her. Thakur too kept things under check. Goud too bowled well as India were good in ground fielding. Perry managed to hit a boundary through mid-on to end the over.
At the end of the powerplay, Australia were reeling at 25/2 in 10 overs. Goud continued and gave nothing away. Perry hit Thakur for a boundary through covers. Perry drove through right of mid-off for a boundary off Thakur. Sneh Rana came into the attack now. She bowled a tidy first over. Arundhati Reddy came into the attack next. She gifted away 5 wides to the batting side.
Beth Mooney was given a reprieve as Deol dropped her at wide long-on off Rana. Reddy bowled a decent over as Australia reached 56/2 in 16 overs when the umpires called for the Drinks Break. Rana continued after the break as Mooney hit her down the ground for a boundary. But Rana had her revenge as she dismissed Mooney for 18 off 34 balls with a boundary to her name. Rana tossed it up full around fifth stump slower through the air. Mooney stepped down the track and looked to go inside out as she chipped it in the air from the outer half of the bat. Reddy at deep extra cover settled underneath it and took a good catch diving forward. Annabel Sutherland came out to bat next.
Renuka returned to the attack as Sutherland hit her for a boundary through covers. Renuka injured herself and walked off the field as Reddy was told to complete the over. Sutherland managed to get Reddy away through the long leg fence. Perry then hit an innovative shot as she reverse sweeps past short third man for a boundary. Deepti Sharma was introduced into the attack and she bowled a decent over as Australia were 83/3 in 20 overs.
Radha Yadav came into the attack next. She dropped Sutherland off her own bowling as she should have taken this catch. Deepti continued and bowled a tidy over. Radha bowled another tight over as Australia reached 100 run mark in 23 overs. Deepti bowled another good over as runs came in singles at the moment. Radha Yadav struck and got rid of Ellyse Perry for 44 off 61 balls with 5 fours to her name.
Radha tossed it up fuller around off-stump, Perry stepped down the track and drove it straight down the ground. Perry failed to keep it down as Radha dived to her left and grabbed a sensational catch. Ashleigh Gardner came out to bat next. After 25 overs at the halfway stage of the innings, Australia were 108/4 with a lot of work to do. Deepti continued and bowled a miserly over. Kranti Goud returned to the attack. Gardner broke the shackles as she flicked it away through midwicket for a boundary.
Arundhati Reddy returned to the attack as Sutherland hit her through the third man fence for a boundary. Sneh Rana returned to the attack as Sutherland swept past the left of deep backward square leg for a boundary. Reddy then struck for India dismissing Sutherland for 45 off 42 balls with 4 fours to her name. Reddy bowled it full around off-stump, Sutherland stepped down the track and drove it uppishly. Sutherland tried to hit it between the gap at extra cover and mid-off. She hit it straight to Harmanpreet Kaur who was standing at extra cover. The Indian skipper moved to her right and grabbed a fabulous catch. Tahlia McGrath came to the middle next. After 30 overs, India were 135/5.
Sneh Rana bowled a miserly over. The Drinks was taken at the score of 142/5 in 31 overs. Reddy continued after the break and kept things under check. Radha returned and almost got rid of Gardner but Goud dropped her at wide long-off. Deepti struck for her side as she dismissed Gardner for 17 off 29 balls with a boundary to her name. Tossed up delivery from Deepti around middle and leg stump. Gardner stepped down the track and heaved it away on the on side. Radha at deep midwicket came in and took a good catch with fingers pointing upwards. Georgia Wareham walked out to bat next.
Tahlia McGrath hit Radha for consecutive boundaries to give some impetus to the innings. Deepti then removed Tahlia for 16 off 20 balls with 2 fours to her name. She tossed it up around off-stump pitched and turned back in. McGrath stepped out and slammed it aerially. Reddy at long-on moved to her right and took a fantastic catch with both hands. Alana King came out to bat next. Wareham was given OUT LBW but she reviewed it and got the decision overturned.
There was a run out now as King was dismissed for 2 off 3 balls while trying to take the third run. Big mix-up in the middle and King had to walk back to the hut now. Megan Schutt came to the crease next and got off the mark straightaway. Goud got rid of Megan Schutt for a silver duck. She bowled it full around off-stump, Schutt leaned forward and drove it uppishly straight down the ground. Goud took a sharp return catch on her follow through with fingers pointing upwards. Darcie Brown came out to bat next.
Reddy bowled a decent over. Goud too kept things tight. Brown hit Reddy for a boundary through mid-off. Brown again muscled it past deep midwicket for a boundary. Goud took the final wicket of the innings dismissing Wareham for 10 off 17 balls. She bowled the yorker around off. Wareham played a premeditated stroke as she shuffled across the stumps and looked to lap it down towards the fine leg fence. She failed to get bat on ball and the ball crashed onto the base of off-stump. Brown remained unbeaten on 14 off 13 balls with 2 fours to her name as Australia were bowled out for 190 in 40.5 overs. 15 extras given by India as the Women In Blue won by 102 runs to level the series at 1-1.
Kranti Goud was the pick of the bowlers for India with figures of 3/28 in 9 overs. Deepti Sharma picked up 2/24 in 6 overs. Renuka Singh Thakur finished with 1/28 in 6.3 overs. Sneh Rana chipped in with 1/35 in 6 overs. Arundhati Reddy finished with 1/46 in 7.3 overs. Radha Yadav finished with 1/27 in 5 overs. So, India win by 102 runs and for her outstanding batting earlier in the day, Smriti Mandhana was awarded the Player of the Match.
What Lies Ahead
So, India have come roaring back in the series with a 102-run win over Australia to level the series 1-1. The series is nicely set up for the decider which will be in New Delhi on 20th September 2025 i,.e . on Saturday at 1:30 PM IST. Can India keep this up and win in Delhi to clinch the series? Or will Australia bounce back and win another series like they do?
To find the answer, do join us on Saturday for the decider in Delhi in what should be an epic face-off with the series levelled at 1-1.
Also Read:Â IND-W VS AUS-W: India Strikes At Regular Intervals To Keep Australia At Bay.