After registering a strong comeback against Australia, India will be looking to clinch the series and gain momentum ahead of the World Cup. India vs Australia has so far lived up to its reputation as both teams will play the decider tomorrow. Defeating the strongest team in Women’s Cricket will give India a great confidence boost ahead of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025.
Australia defeated the Indian team in the first match by eight wickets after chasing down the target of 281. India posted this target with the help of valuable half-centuries from Pratika Rawal (64/96), Smriti Mandhana (58/63) and Harleen Deol (54/57) and important contributions of (25/20) from Richa Ghosh and 20* from 16 balls by Deepti Sharma at the end. Meghan Schutt took two wickets after conceding 45 runs from seven overs. In the second innings, Phoebe Litchfield and Alyssa Healy opened the innings for Australia. However, Healy was bowled by young and talented Kranti Goud after scoring a quick 27 runs off 23 balls. After that, Phoebe Litchfield’s elegant batting set the tone for Australia. She scored 88 runs from 80 deliveries with a strike rate of 110. She amassed 14 boundaries and finally lost her wicket to Sneh Rana. Litchfield had a crucial partnership with Beth Mooney. Both of them added 121 runs to help Australia win the match. Mooney decided to continue her good form and scored 77* runs from 74 deliveries with a strike rate of 104.5; she also hit nine fours. Sutherland also gave her contribution from the bat as she scored a half-century, amassing 54* off 51 deliveries. After the dominating performance, Australia won the match easily and took the lead in the series.
In the Next match, India decided to break all the streaks and records to give Australia a befitting reply. India was asked to bat first by Australia, and India posted a score of 292, which was India’s highest WODI score against Australia. The innings was opened by left-handed Smriti Mandhana and right-handed Pratika Rawal. The openers added 70 runs to the first wicket and, with that, became the first-ever pair to score 1000+ runs in WODIs in a calendar year. After Pratika was dismissed by Ashleigh Gardner, Smriti Mandhana continued the batting with flair and scored 117 runs from 91 deliveries, with 14 boundaries and four maximums. Her strike rate during the innings was 128.57. Smriti Mandhana’s century was 2nd second-fastest hundred (by balls) by an Indian in the WODIs. She finished her hundred in 77 balls. Contributions from Deepti Sharma (40/53) and Richa Ghosh (29/33) helped India post a competitive total. Indian bowlers outshone the Australian batters in the 2nd innings with an outstanding bowling performance. Renuka Singh Thakur made a remarkable comeback and took the first wicket of Georgia Voll by chopping off her stumps. The star of the evening was young and talented bowler Kranti Goud, who took three wickets, including the big wicket of Australian Captain Alyssa Healy, who departed after scoring nine runs off 19 balls. Deepti Sharma took important wickets of Gardner and Tahlia McGrath. Once the wickets started falling, it couldn’t stop. Australia was all out on 190, and India became the first team to beat Australia by 100+ runs. India levelled the Series 1-1.
The rivalry between India and Australia in women’s cricket is one of the fiercest rivalries in the sport. Historically, Australia has held the upper hand, but India has been steadily challenging their dominance, especially on home ground. The upcoming decider is set to be another thrilling chapter in this storied contest, where both teams will showcase their skill, strategy, and nerve.
The third ODI is shaping up to be an exciting match. The conditions at the venue look promising for both batters and spinners, which means team selection and strategy will play a pivotal role.
The key battles will be Smriti Mandhana against Ashleigh Gardner. Gardener has dismissed Mandhana three times. It’ll be interesting to see how India’s spinners fare against Australia’s middle order. When it comes to the probable lineups, both teams are expected to stick closely to their previous selections. India is likely to retain the winning combination from the second ODI, while Australia might think about making a tactical change in their bowling attack. With the momentum shifting back and forth, this match is set to feel like a mini-final ahead of the World Cup.
The timing of this series is crucial. With the Women’s World Cup 2025 around the corner, a victory here could really boost either team’s confidence as they launch their campaign. For India, it’s all about showing they can compete with Australia consistently. On the flip side, Australia is looking to reaffirm their reputation as the top team in women’s cricket.
