Australia on Sunday (October 12) completed a historic chase against India to extend their unbeaten record in the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup 2025. The seven-time World Cup winners won the match by three wickets and regained their place at the top of the points table.
Riding on captain Alyssa Healy’s superb knock of 142 runs, Australia scored 331 runs at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. This is the highest number of successful chases in a women’s ODI, surpassing the 302 between Sri Lanka and South Africa last year.
Alyssa Healy crushes the host
This is the first time a team has scored over 300 points in a Women’s World Cup. Incidentally, the most successful World Cup chases so far also include Australia and India, with the former scoring 278 points in the 2022 tournament.
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Australia had their backs against the wall as India scored 330 runs. However, captain Healy overcame the whirlwind and led his team from the front line. Her 142-run knock came off just 107 balls and was studded with 21 fours and three sixes.
Healy and Phoebe Lichfield added 85 runs for the first wicket, but the latter was dismissed by Shree Chalani for 40 runs. Healy and Ellyse Perry then pushed the score past the 150-run mark before the latter was forced to retire injured with 32 runs.
After Perry left the field, India dismissed Beth Mooney and Annabelle Sutherland in quick succession, reducing Australia from 168-1 to 170-3. However, Healy and Ashley Gardner added 95 runs for the fourth wicket, putting Australia back in their favor.
Mr. Charani ejected Mr. Healy and ended the stand. Australia had some anxious moments after losing the wickets of Talia McGrath and Gardner, but Perry returned to the crease and managed to bring the team home.
Australia denied India’s strong finish:
Early in the match, Australia fought back strongly with the ball, denying India a strong finish. India were destined to post a huge total with openers Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal adding 155 runs for the first wicket.
Mandhana scored 80 runs off 66 balls while Rawal scored 75 runs off 96 balls. However, India’s middle-order batting line-up could not finish the innings well.
Harleen Deol (38 years old), Harmanpreet Kaur (22 years old), Jemima Rodriguez (33 years old), and Richa Ghosh (32 years old) were the starters, but all of them persevered until the end and were unable to get the team a good result.
At one stage, India were 294/4 in 43 overs with Richa and Rodriguez in the middle order in a good set. The Women in Blue seemed destined for a total of over 350 before Richa’s firing sparked a collapse.
India lost their last six wickets for just 36 runs and couldn’t even bat all their overs. For Australia, Annabelle Sutherland impressed with the ball, winning five from 40.
India vs Australia quick score:
India 330 (48.5 overs): Smriti Mandhana 80 (66), Pratika Rawal 75 (96). Annabelle Sutherland 5-40
Australia 331 wins, 7 losses (49 overs): Alyssa Healy 142 (106), Elise Perry 47* (52); Shree Chalani 3-41
Australia won by 3 wickets