Brisbane: Australia women’s cricket team defeated India by six wickets in the first ODI and took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. India won the toss and batted first and scored 214 runs. In reply, host Australia achieved the target by losing four wickets in just 38.2 overs. Ben Mooney top scored with 76 runs in 79 balls in Australia’s six-wicket victory.
Reigning world champion India won the toss and decided to bat first, but despite half-centuries from captain Harmanpreet Kaur (53 runs in 84 balls) and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana (58 runs in 68 balls), her team was all out for 214 runs in 48.3 overs.
Australia did not face any problem in reaching the target and scored 217 runs for four wickets in only 38.2 overs. Healy (50 runs off 70 balls) made a good start with the help of a half-century, after which Mooney (76 runs off 79 balls) and Annabel Sutherland (48 not out off 44 balls) made a partnership of 85 runs for the fourth wicket, ensuring Australia’s big victory.
Healy and Phoebe Lichfield (32 runs off 32 balls) scored runs with ease and made a partnership of 55 runs for the first wicket. Mandhana, who was captaining due to Harmanpreet’s knee injury, handed the ball to left-arm spinner Shri Charani (2 wickets for 41 runs) in the 11th over. He gave India its first success by getting Lichfield caught behind the wicket on her third ball.
On the next ball, Shri Charani got the new batsman Georgia Wall caught out by Mandhana at cover. Healy then made a partnership of 64 runs with Mooney for the third wicket. Healy, playing her last international series, completed her half-century off 69 balls, but soon after, she hit a square cut on Kranti Gaur’s ball and was caught by Jemimah Rodrigues standing at backward point.
Mooney completed his half-century in 58 balls by hitting a six on Shri Charani. During this innings, Mooney completed 3000 runs in ODI while Sutherland completed 1000 runs. Mooney hit five fours and two sixes in his innings before getting out in the last moments. Sutherland hit four fours and the winning six on Deepti Sharma.
Before this, spinner Gardner was the most successful bowler from Australia. He took three wickets for 33 runs in seven overs. Fast bowlers Megan Schutt and Lucy Hamilton were included in Australia’s squad at the last minute after Kim Garth and Ellyse Perry were ruled out of the three-match series due to injury.
Megan dismissed Pratika Raval with her fast inswinger on the second ball of the first over of the match. Raval was playing a match for the national team for the first time after recovering from an ankle injury suffered during India’s victory in the ODI World Cup played at home last year.
Shafali Verma (04) disappointed while batting at number three for the first time, she gave a straight catch to Darcy Brown.
Mandhana continuously hit fours on the slip cordon, her drives were also worth seeing. Australia’s spinners maintained the pressure in the middle overs and Gardner got Jemima (08) caught by the wicketkeeper on a full length ball.
After the dismissal of Mandhana and Deepti Sharma (02), Harmanpreet tried to handle the innings. However, she too was out after playing a sweep shot in the deep off Gardner’s ball. Richa Ghosh scored 23 runs.
Kashvi Gautam (43 runs in 44 balls) took the score beyond 200 runs, he hit a total of three sixes, including a spectacular six over long-on off Megan.
The second ODI between these two teams will be played in Hobart on 27 February, before which India had won the three-match T20 series 2-1. After the ODI series, there will also be a test match between these two teams.