BRISBANE – India’s women’s ODI campaign against Australia kicked off with mixed fortunes at Allan Border Field. Opting to bat first after a toss win, the visitors were bundled out for 214 in 48.3 overs, handing Australia a chase of 215 in the series opener. Buoyed by their recent 2-1 T20I triumph Down Under, India sought a strong start but top-order woes derailed their plans.
Disaster struck immediately: Pratikar Raval out for 0 on the second ball. Smriti Mandhana and Shefali Verma responded with a modest 25-run partnership, but Verma managed only 4 from 17 balls. Mandhana then linked with Jemimah Rodrigues (8) for 27 more, nursing the score to 52-3.
The middle order showed fight. Mandhana and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s 48-run alliance off 72 balls was pivotal, with Mandhana departing for 58 (68 balls, 7×4). Kaur anchored with 53 (84 balls, 3×4), sharing 37 with Richa Ghosh (23 off 38, 2×4) and a match-turning 53 with Kashvee Gautam (43 off 44).
Australia’s attack was clinical. Spinner Ashley Gardner starred with 3-33, while pacer Megan Schutt grabbed 2. Single wickets fell to Brown, King, McGrath, and Molineux. Key Indian contributors included Deepti Sharma in the lineup alongside openers Mandhana and Raval, Verma, Rodrigues, Ghosh behind the stumps, Gautam, Charani, Gaur, and Thakur.
Alyssa Healy led Australia’s response with Litchfield, Voll, Mooney, Sutherland, Gardner, McGrath, Molineux, King, Schutt, and Brown. This total keeps India in the contest, but their bowlers must exploit early conditions to defend 214 in a high-stakes series decider atmosphere from the outset.