Source The guardian
The Australia women’s national cricket team began their one-day international series in dominant fashion, defeating the India women’s national cricket team by six wickets in the opening match on Monday.
Chasing a competitive target set by India, Australia displayed composure and depth in their batting lineup to seal the win with several overs to spare. The victory gives the hosts an early advantage in the multi-match ODI series.
India Post Fighting Total
After being put in to bat, India showed resilience despite losing early wickets. The top order struggled to convert starts into substantial scores, but a steady middle-order partnership helped stabilize the innings. Contributions from key batters ensured India reached a defendable total, though they would have hoped for a stronger finish in the final overs.
Australia’s disciplined bowling attack kept the scoring rate under control for much of the innings, picking up wickets at regular intervals to prevent India from building significant momentum.
Australia’s Controlled Chase
In response, Australia’s chase was anchored by a confident top-order performance. The opening pair laid a solid foundation, rotating the strike effectively and capitalizing on loose deliveries.
Captain Alyssa Healy led from the front with a composed knock, steering the innings through the middle phase. Despite a brief period of pressure created by India’s bowlers, Australia maintained control of the required run rate.
India found some hope through breakthroughs from their bowling unit, including disciplined spells that briefly slowed the scoring. However, missed opportunities in the field proved costly as Australia rebuilt and edged closer to the target.
Key Moments
Early breakthroughs by Australia’s bowlers restricted India’s top order.
A stabilizing middle-order stand lifted India to a competitive score.
A commanding partnership during the chase shifted momentum firmly in Australia’s favor.
Calm finishing ensured Australia crossed the line with six wickets in hand.
India captain Smriti Mandhana acknowledged the team’s fighting effort but pointed to areas for improvement, particularly in fielding and finishing with the bat.
With the series now underway, India will look to bounce back in the second ODI, while Australia aim to extend their lead and continue their strong run in the 50-over format.
