Smriti Mandhana’s heroics couldn’t trump Beth Mooney’s masterclass as Australia reinforced their dominance over India with a 43-run victory in the third women’s ODI, clinching their 11th bilateral series against the hosts, here on Saturday.
Mooney’s blistering 138 off 75 balls powered Australia to their joint-highest ODI total of 412 all out. It was also Australia’s highest-ever total against India, surpassing their 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.
Australia’s Beth Mooney during her 138 in New Delhi on Saturday. Pic/Getty Images
Had India succeeded, they would have eclipsed the world record for the highest successful run chase which is currently held by Sri Lanka, who chased down 302 against South Africa in Potchefstroom in 2024.
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.
Earlier, Mooney matched the searing Delhi heat with a dazzling innings.
If Mooney’s whirlwind knock, her highest score in ODIs, lit up the middle overs, young opener Georgia Voll (81), Ellyse Perry (68) and skipper Alyssa Healy (30) provided the early fireworks after electing to bat first.
India’s bowling attack looked toothless on a flat Kotla track.
Healy, searching for her first big knock of the series, came out all guns blazing, smashing new-ball bowlers Renuka Thakur and Kranti Goud for seven boundaries before falling to the latter, who dismissed her for the third time in as many games.
781
Total runs scored by India and Australia on Saturday; the highest in women’s ODIs
50
No. of balls Smriti Mandhana took to score her century — the fastest by an Indian and second-fastest overall
Brief scores
Australia 412 all out in 47.5 overs (B Mooney 138, G Voll 81, E Perry 68, A Gardner 39, A Healy 30; A Reddy 3-86, D Sharma 2-75, R Singh 2-79) beat India 369 all out in 47 overs (S Mandhana 125, D Sharma 72, H Kaur 52, S Rana 35; K Garth 3-69, M Schutt 2-53) by 43 runs
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