Mandhana’s heroics go in vain as Mooney guides Australia to series victory
Mooney’s blistering 138 off 75 balls powered Australia to its joint-highest ODI total of 412 all out. It was also Australia’s highest-ever total against India, surpassing its 371/8 in Brisbane last year.
NEW DELHI: Smriti Mandhana’s heroics couldn’t trump Beth Mooney’s masterclass as Australia reinforced its dominance over India with a 43-run victory in the third women’s ODI, clinching its 11th bilateral series against the host, here on Saturday.
Mooney’s blistering 138 off 75 balls powered Australia to its joint-highest ODI total of 412 all out. It was also Australia’s highest-ever total against India, surpassing its 371/8 in Brisbane last year.
The Australian bowlers then held their nerve, weathering a 121-run stand between Mandhana (125 off 63 balls) and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (52 off 35 balls), and a late onslaught by Deepti Sharma (72 off 58 balls) to bowl out India for 369 and preserve their 100 per cent series win record by taking the three-match contest 2-1.
Had India succeeded, it would have eclipsed the world record for the highest successful run chase which is currently held by Sri Lanka, which chased down 302 against South Africa in Potchefstroom in 2024.
On a day when boundaries flowed freely, India conceded a staggering 60 fours and five sixes. In contrast, Australia allowed 39 fours and seven sixes in its defence, a gulf that ultimately proved decisive.
India’s fielding unit also floundered yet again with dropped chances and misfields, punctuated only by occasional flashes of brilliance like Deepti’s one-handed return catch to get rid of Grace Harris.
Chasing a daunting 413, Mandhana blended elegance with belligerence to continue her dazzling form. Her second consecutive century, a 50-ball masterclass was the fastest by an Indian in ODIs, eclipsing her own mark of 70 balls. She hit five sixes.
Partnering with Harmanpreet, she kept the run rate well above par as the duo raced along at ten an over.
After early dismissals of Pratika Rawal (10) and Harleen Deol (11), Mandhana, who was dropped on 53, and Harmanpreet steadied India with a smart mix of singles and boundaries.
Their partnership silenced Australia’s attack and kept the Kotla crowd buzzing. But momentum shifted in the 20th over when Harmanpreet, after taking a medical break, fell lbw in the very next ball.
An over later, Mandhana miscued a lofted stroke to deep backward square, plunging the stadium into silence.
Brief scores: Australia 412 in 47.5 overs (B Mooney 138, G Voll 81, E Perry 68, A Reddy 3/86) bt India 369 in 47 overs (S Mandhana 125, D Sharma 72, H Kaur 52, K Garth 3/69)
