New Chandigarh: A strong total of 281 set by the Indian batters was completely undone by a dismal fielding performance. A crucial reprieve given to Phoebe Litchfield on zero proved immensely costly for India, as Australia comfortably won the first ODI by eight wickets. Stellar half-centuries from Litchfield (88), Beth Mooney (77*), and Annabel Sutherland (54*) demolished India’s hopes of victory.
A Single Dropped Catch Changed the Match
India had a golden opportunity to take control early in Australia’s chase of 282. In the second over, Jemimah Rodrigues dropped a simple catch off Sneh Rana’s bowling to dismiss Phoebe Litchfield, who had not even opened her account. Taking full advantage of this lifeline, Litchfield launched an assault on the Indian spinners, scoring runs all around the ground with sweeps and reverse sweeps. She, along with Ellyse Perry (30, retired hurt), put the team in a commanding position. After Litchfield’s dismissal, Beth Mooney and Annabel Sutherland steered Australia to the target in the 45th over with unbeaten half-centuries. In total, India dropped four catches, which effectively sealed their defeat.
Indian Batters Had Shown Their Mettle
Earlier, after winning the toss and opting to bat, India had a fantastic start. The opening pair of Smriti Mandhana (58) and Pratika Rawal (64) put on a record 114-run partnership, India’s highest opening stand against Australia. However, the momentum slowed down significantly after Mandhana was run out.
While captain Harmanpreet Kaur could not contribute much in the middle order, Harleen Deol steadied the ship with a quickfire knock of 54, propelling India to a competitive total. Thanks to cameos from Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma in the end, India posted 281, but this score proved insufficient due to the costly errors in the field.
With this win, Australia has taken a 1-0 lead in the series.
