The much-awaited ODI series between India Women and Australia Women kicks off in Brisbane, with the Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur calling right at the toss and opting to set a total. This follows their gritty T20I series win, injecting fresh optimism into the campaign.
‘Today, batting first aligns perfectly with our game plan,’ Harmanpreet remarked post-toss. The Gabba’s legacy reveals a pitch favoring chases slightly—12 successes versus 10 defending scores in 22 ODIs—but India’s recent form suggests they can buck the trend. First innings averages hover around 212 runs, promising a competitive outing.
Recapping the T20Is: India stunned Australia by 21 runs (DLS) in game one, absorbed a 19-run defeat in the second, then sealed the series 2-1 with a 17-run victory in the finale. Against Australia’s imposing 49-12 head-to-head lead in 61 ODIs, India seeks to narrow the gap.
Team compositions highlight star power. India’s lineup: Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rao, Shefali Verma, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (keeper), Deepti Sharma, Kashvee Gautam, Sree Charani, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh Thakur. Australia fields Alyssa Healy (c), Phoebe Litchfield, Georgia Voll, Beth Mooney (wk), Annabel Sutherland, Ashley Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Alana King, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown.
As openers stride out, the series opener could redefine rivalries. Will India build on T20 momentum for an ODI upset? The contest unfolds with high stakes and higher expectations.