Australia on Sunday (October 12) achieved a historic chase against India to extend their unbeaten run in the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup 2025. The 7-time World Cup winners won the match by three wickets to top the points table.
Riding on a brilliant inning of 142 runs from their captain Alyssa Healy, Australia chased down 331 runs at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam. This is the highest target ever achieved in Women’s ODI, surpassing the target of 302 runs set by Sri Lanka against South Africa last year.
Alyssa Healy thrashes the hosts
This is also the first time that a target of more than 300 was chased in the Women’s World Cup. Incidentally, the previous highest successful chase in the World Cup also involved Australia and India when the former chased 278 in the 2022 edition.
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With India scoring 330 runs, Australia tightened their belts. However, captain Healy led the team from the front by scoring a storming century. His innings of 142 runs came off just 107 balls and included 21 fours and three sixes.
Healy and Phoebe Litchfield added 85 runs for the first wicket, before Litchfield was dismissed by Sri Charani for 40. Healy and Ellyse Perry then took the score past 150, before Lichfield were forced to retire hurt on 32.
After Perry left the field, India dismissed Beth Mooney and Annabel Sutherland in quick succession to reduce Australia’s score from 168/1 to 170/3. However, Healy and Ashley Gardner put Australia on the front foot by adding 95 runs for the fourth wicket.
Charani ended the stand by dismissing Healy. Australia faced some concerns after losing the wickets of Tahlia McGrath and Gardner, but Perry returned to the crease and managed to take her team home.
Australia denies India a strong finish:
Earlier in the match, Australia had made a strong comeback with the ball and deprived India of a strong lead. India looked set to post a huge total after openers Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Raval added 155 runs for the first wicket.
Mandhana scored 80 runs on 66 balls while Raval scored 75 runs on 96 balls. However, India’s middle-order batsmen failed to finish the innings strongly.
Harleen Deol (38), Harmanpreet Kaur (22), Jemimah Rodrigues (33) and Richa Ghosh (32) got the starts, but none of them could last till the end and help the team finish strongly.
At one point in the 43rd over, India’s score was 294/4 and Richa and Rodrigues were well set in the middle. Before Richa was out, the Women in Blue looked set to score over 350.
India lost its last six wickets for just 36 runs and could not even bat the entire over. For Australia, Annabel Sutherland impressed with the ball, taking 5 wickets for 40 runs.
India vs Australia Brief Score:
India 330 (48.5 overs): Smriti Mandhana 80 (66), Pratika Raval 75 (96); Annabel Sutherland 5-40
Australia 331-7 (49 overs): Alyssa Healy 142 (106), Ellyse Perry 47* (52); Sri Charani 3-41
Australia won by three wickets
