India have ended the Australia Women’s world-record 26 matches winning streak in ODI cricket with a two-wicket win in the third match at the Harrup Park in Mackay. They also completed their highest ever successful run chase in the 50-over format. The multi-format series currently stands 4-2 in favour of Australia.
Riding on Ashleigh Gardner’s 62-ball 67, Tahlia McGrath’s 32-ball 47, and Beth Mooney’s 64-ball 52, Australia posted 264/9 after opting to bat. Alyssa Healy also made 35 off 47 balls at the top, but the others struggled to get going against Indian bowlers, led by Jhulan Goswami (3-37).
Pooja Vastrakar gave Goswami the seam support she required. They ran through Australian batters to reduce them to 87/4 at one point before Gardner, Mooney, and McGrath scored runs with urgency to take Australia to a decent total.
Coming to the chase, India got off to an impressive start, thanks to a 59-run stand between Smriti Mandhana (22) and Shafali Verma (56). Yastika Bhatia, India’s emerging player of the series, struck nine fours in her 69-ball 64 to keep the chase under control. She and Verma added 101 for the second wicket before Sophie Molineux cleaned up Verma, and triggered a collapse.
India were in control until Verma's departure. But then, from 160/1, they slipped to 180/4, and then 208/6 in quick time. Richa Ghosh, Mithali Raj (16), and Vastrakar (3) failed to carry the momentum.
Deepti Sharma (31 in 30 balls) and Sneh Rana (30 in 27) counterattacked from there to help India regain the pole position in the contest. They needed four off the final over. Goswami came down the track, and lofted the third ball over Molineux to take her side past the finishing line.
Brief Scores: Australia Women 264/9 in 50 overs (Ashleigh Gardner 67; Jhulan Goswami 3-37) lost to India Women 266/8 in 49.3 overs (Yastika Bhatia 64; Annabel Sutherland 3-30) by 2 wickets with 3 balls to spare. Player of the Match: Jhulan Goswami.
Australia Women won the series 2-1.