Alyssa Healy produced a masterful 142 to guide Australia to the highest successful run chase in women’s ODI history, as World Cup hosts India fell to a second successive defeat in Visakhapatnam. Chasing 331, Australia secured victory with six balls and three wickets to spare, leaving the packed stadium emptying rapidly in the closing moments.
The win was sealed when Ellyse Perry lofted her WPL team-mate Sneh Rana straight down the ground, capping a composed unbeaten 47 that included a return to the crease after retiring hurt with cramps. Perry’s comeback came at a crucial time, with Australia needing 32 off 36 and seven wickets down after Sophie Molineux was trapped lbw by Amanjot Kaur.
Kim Garth played a vital supporting role, finishing 14 not out, including a deft reverse-paddle off Rana in the penultimate over, helping add 28 from 23 balls with Perry to complete the chase. The result gives Australia their third win in four matches and puts them at the top of the table midway through the tournament.
India, meanwhile, were left to reflect on another missed opportunity. Just two days after failing to defend 252 against South Africa, the hosts once again let a strong position slip. Their total of 330 had looked likely to go beyond 350 when they reached 192 for 1 at the 30-over mark, but a collapse of 9 for 138 in the final 20 overs left them short.
Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal laid a superb platform with a 155-run opening stand, scoring 80 and 75 respectively, though both fell short of centuries. Mandhana brought up her fifty in 46 balls, becoming the first woman to score over 1000 ODI runs in a calendar year and later the fastest to 5000 runs in the format.
India’s middle order showed intent, with contributions from Harleen Deol (38), Harmanpreet Kaur (22), and Jemimah Rodrigues (33), but none converted their starts. Once again, the burden fell on Richa Ghosh to provide late momentum, but after her dismissal to a slower ball from Annabel Sutherland, India lost their final four wickets for just 21 runs to be bowled out in the final over.
Sutherland’s variations proved decisive as she picked up her maiden ODI five-for, restricting India’s acceleration and earning the Player of the Match award on her birthday.
Australia began their chase cautiously, scoring just 25 from the first five overs before shifting gears. Healy and Phoebe Litchfield added 85 in just over 11 overs, with Healy launching a stunning assault, including 18 off a single Kranti Gaud over. Litchfield was dismissed for 31, reverse-sweeping N Shree Charani to point, but the momentum had already shifted.
Healy continued to dominate, reaching her hundred in 84 balls and eventually scoring 142 from 129 deliveries, including 21 fours and three sixes. Her innings, the highest by an Australian captain in a World Cup, ended via a sliced drive caught at point, confirmed on review after a tight decision by third umpire Kim Cotton.
India’s bowlers struggled in the flat conditions. Only left-arm spinner Shree Charani impressed, finishing with 3 for 41. Others, including Sneh Rana (1 for 85) and Kranti Gaud (0 for 73), were expensive, and India’s decision to field only five frontline bowlers came under scrutiny.
With defeats now against South Africa and Australia, India are still searching for a win against major sides such as England, New Zealand and Australia at a World Cup, across both ODI and T20 formats, for over five years. They face England next in Indore in a week, a match that could define their semi-final hopes.
