Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Captain Alyssa Healy struck a magnificent century, blasting 142 off 107 balls, the highest score ever against India, while Annabel Sutherland grabbed 5-40 as Australia scampered to a three-wicket victory in a crucial match in the Women’s World Cup in Visakhapatnam. Healy, who slammed a record-breaking 21 fours and three sixes, scored her third World Cup hundred and first ODI hundred since January 2025 (sixth overall) as Australia reached 331/7 with six balls to spare.
They outperformed Indian openers Smriti Mandhana (80 off 667 balls) and Pratika Rawal (75 off 96), who shared an opening partnership of 155 runs. But India suffered a collapse in the last five overs and could manage only 330 all out, when they looked good for 400 at one stage.
It was a record-breaking effort from both teams as Mandhana and Rawal (75) put up the biggest opening partnership against Australia; Mandhana became the fastest to reach 5000 runs (112 matches) in Women’s ODIs. India posted the highest total against Australia in ODIs, surpassing 298 by England. The Aussies then hammered 82 for no loss in 10 overs for the highest score in the Power-play in Women’s ODIs and scripted the biggest successful chase. This was India’s second successive defeat in the World Cup after the loss to South Africa on October 9 as they slipped to third in the standings, ahead of the Proteas on NRR. Australia continued at the top of the table with seven points from four matches, with England in second spot with six points from three matches. The Indians put up a late fight, with N. Shree Charani (3-41), Amanjot Kaur (2-68), and Deepti Sharma (2-52) claiming crucial wickets in the death overs to make it a close affair.
