Australia Women crush India in ODI series opener as Litchfield, Mooney shine.
Australia began their tour of India in commanding fashion, defeating the hosts by eight wickets in the first ODI at New Chandigarh on Saturday. The victory stretched India’s losing run against Australia in the format to eight matches, their last win coming back in 2021 at MacKay.
Phoebe Litchfield was the star of the day, producing a fluent 88 off 80 balls to set up the chase of 282. Her knock, decorated with 14 boundaries, showcased maturity well beyond her years and earned her the Player of the Match award. After her dismissal in the 27th over, Beth Mooney (77* off 74) and Annabel Sutherland (54* off 51) ensured there were no hiccups, guiding Australia home with 35 balls to spare.
India’s innings had promised more after a strong start. Openers Pratika Rawal (64 off 96) and Smriti Mandhana (58 off 63) put on 114 for the first wicket, and Harleen Deol’s enterprising 54 added momentum. But regular breakthroughs from the Australian bowlers meant the middle order failed to press on, leaving India on 281/7 – competitive, yet short of a truly challenging target on a good batting surface.
Australia’s reply was never under pressure. Skipper Alyssa Healy made a brisk 27, Ellyse Perry contributed 30 before retiring hurt, and Litchfield’s strokeplay ensured a smooth pursuit. India’s bowling lacked bite, with only Sneh Rana (1/51) making any real impact, as the visitors cruised to a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Brief Scores:
India Women: 281/7 in 50 overs (Pratika Rawal 64, Smriti Mandhana 58, Harleen Deol 54; Megan Schutt 2/45)
Australia Women: 282/2 in 44.1 overs (Phoebe Litchfield 88, Beth Mooney 77*, Annabel Sutherland 54*; Sneh Rana 1/51)
Result: Australia won by 8 wickets
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