Australia Beat India by 8 Wickets, Take 1-0 Lead

Australia began their final leg of World Cup preparations in emphatic fashion, defeating hosts India by eight wickets in the opening ODI at New Chandigarh on Sunday. A composed chase led by Phoebe Litchfield (88), Beth Mooney (77)**, and Annabel Sutherland (54) helped the visitors overhaul India’s total of 281/7 with 5.5 overs to spare, giving them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

India’s Strong Start, Stumble in the Middle

After opting to bat first, India got off to a flying start thanks to openers Smriti Mandhana (58) and Pratika Rawal (64), who registered their fifth century stand in just 15 innings together. The pair put on a record 114-run opening stand against Australia, showcasing fluent strokeplay before Mandhana’s dismissal triggered a slowdown.

Australia’s spin duo Georgia Wareham and Annabel Sutherland applied the brakes in the middle overs, while Alana King picked up key wickets, including Rawal. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, playing her 150th ODI, fell cheaply for 11.

India’s recovery came through Harleen Deol (54), who struck a brisk fifty, and late cameos from Richa Ghosh (21), Radha Yadav (19), and Deepti Sharma (20). Despite reaching 281, lapses in the middle overs and the lack of a big finish left them at least 30 runs short of a commanding total.

Fielding Lapses Cost India Dear

India’s defense of 281 was undermined by shoddy fielding and dropped catches. Litchfield, who top-scored with 88, was dropped twice — first by Jemimah Rodrigues early in her innings and later by skipper Harmanpreet. Ellyse Perry (27) too benefited from a reprieve before retiring hurt with a calf strain.

Australia’s Chase – Calm and Clinical

Openers Alyssa Healy (16) and Litchfield provided a brisk start before Healy fell to debutant Kranti Goud. Perry and Litchfield then stitched a 79-run stand, ensuring the asking rate never climbed. After Perry’s retirement, Mooney seamlessly slotted in, combining with Litchfield for a 46-run stand before the latter fell for 88.

The unbroken 116-run partnership between Mooney and Sutherland sealed the chase with remarkable ease. Mooney raced to a 45-ball half-century, while Sutherland paced her innings smartly, raising her fifty off 47 balls. Together, they dismantled India’s spin attack and punished wayward pace bowling.

The contrast in middle-overs performance proved decisive: Australia scored 196/1 in 30 overs, while India managed only 152/3 in the same phase.

Brief Scores

• India: 281/7 in 50 overs (Pratika Rawal 64, Smriti Mandhana 58, Harleen Deol 54; Megan Schutt 2/45)

• Australia: 282/2 in 44.1 overs (Phoebe Litchfield 88, Beth Mooney 77*, Annabel Sutherland 54*)

Australia lead the three-match series 1-0, with the next ODI set to offer India an opportunity to bounce back.