India Women vs Australia Women 3rd ODI: Despite a century from opener Smriti Mandhana, India suffered a 0-3 clean sweep with an 83-run defeat against Australia in the third and final women’s ODI on Wednesday. With the career-best bowling of Arundhati Reddy (four wickets for 26 runs), India reduced Australia’s score to 78 runs for four wickets at the WACA, but with the century of Annabel Sutherland (110 runs in 95 balls, nine fours, four sixes), the hosts The team was successful in making a big score of 298 runs for six wickets. Sutherland added 96 runs for the fifth wicket with Ashleigh Gardner (50) and 122 runs for the sixth wicket with captain Tahlia McGrath (56) to take the team to a strong score.
Mandhana’s century innings went in vain
In response, despite Mandhana’s inning of 105 runs in 109 balls with 14 fours and one six, the Indian team was reduced to 215 runs in 45.1 overs. As long as Smriti was at the crease, India’s hopes of victory were intact, but with her dismissal, the visiting team’s hopes of registering a consolation win were also dashed. For Australia, off-spinner Ashleigh took five wickets for 30 runs. Leg spinner Elena King also took two wickets for 27 runs.
Mandhana did not get support from other batsmen at the other end. Elena caught Harleen Deol (39 runs in 64 balls) on her own ball and ended her 118-run partnership with Mandhana for the second wicket, after which the team lost consecutive wickets. While chasing the target, India lost the wicket of Richa Ghosh (02) in the fifth over itself, who was bowled by Megan Schutt.
Harmanpreet flopped once again
The team had high expectations from captain Harmanpreet Kaur (12 runs in 22 balls) and Jemimah Rodriguez (16 runs in 11 balls) but both of them disappointed. Senior batsman Deepti Sharma also failed to open the account.
Earlier, India won the toss and decided to bowl first, after which Phoebe Litchfield (25) and Georgia Voll (26) gave a good start to the team by adding 58 runs in 10.1 overs for the first wicket.
Arundhati shows her magic
However, Arundhati, playing her fifth ODI, gave a double blow to Australia by dismissing both the openers within four balls in the 11th over. Arundhati bowled Shatkaveer Voll of the previous match on an inward swinging ball, while left-handed batsman Lichfield was caught by wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh on an outswinging ball.
Arundhati then bowled all-rounder Ellyse Perry (04) and then got Beth Mooney (10) caught by Richa, due to which Australia’s score increased from 58 runs without wicket to 78 runs for four wickets.
Sutherland and Ashleigh then took over the innings. Sutherland adopted an aggressive approach from the beginning. She targeted the spinners and hit two fours and a six on Deepti Sharma in the 40th over. Deepti broke this partnership by getting Ashleigh caught by Meenu Mani in the 34th over. Ashleigh faced 64 balls and hit five fours.
After this, Sutherland got a good partner in the form of captain Tahlia and both of them scored runs quickly and took the team’s score close to 300 runs. Sutherland completed her century by hitting a six over mid-wicket on Deepti in the last over of the innings but was run out after that.
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