India face Australia in third and final ODI at New Delhi on September 20
India seek their first ODI series win against Australia
Women in Blue sealed 102-run win in second match to tie series 1-1
The Indian women's cricket team are on the cusp of a landmark victory against a strong Australian side in the decisive third ODI at Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi, on Saturday, 20 September. The hosts aim for their first-ever bilateral ODI series win against the record-holding world champions.
This follows their compelling 102-run triumph, Australia's heaviest defeat by runs, which also marked India's first win against Australia in 12 matches. A series victory would provide a crucial surge of confidence ahead of the upcoming ICC Women's World Cup, starting on 30 September. While breaking records in their second ODI win, some glaring flaws persist for the Women in Blue.
The third IND W vs AUS W ODI match will be live-streamed from 1:30 PM IST on Saturday.
Fielding Concerns Persist For India
India's fielding has shown inconsistency, with the team dropping six catches during the second game, taking their total to 10 dropped chances across two matches. Most of these were regulation opportunities. This contrasts sharply with the team's sharp fielding display in England recently. Despite certain moments of brilliance, the inconsistency raises concerns.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur acknowledged the lapses, saying, "Today also we missed a few chances, but our bowlers kept giving us chances so that we could capitalise and keep the result in our favour."
India's bowlers deserve credit for consistently creating chances. Seamer Renuka Thakur, returning after a stress fracture, and pace partner Kranti Goud effectively choked the Australian top order. Spinners maintained pressure through the middle overs, and Arundhati Reddy's inclusion as a third seamer also proved effective.
India anticipate another different combination for the series decider, with the captain explaining, "This series is where we want to give chance to each and every one. That is something we kept in our mind – to try a few combinations."
India's Batting Must Fire
A familiar batting pattern has emerged for India. Openers Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal provided brisk starts in both matches, yet the middle order has struggled to build partnerships. Mandhana has contributed a major share of India's runs in this series.
With Shafali Verma no longer in the scheme of things, the vice-captain has adopted an aggressive approach. She cracked her 12th ODI century in the second game, which was the only score above 40 in India's total of 292. Key batters like Harmanpreet, Harleen Deol, and Richa Ghosh must now step up, especially with Jemimah Rodrigues ruled out due to a viral infection.
Australia, meanwhile, desperately want to bounce back. Opener Phoebe Litchfield, who missed the second game with a low-grade quad strain, is expected to return.
Skipper Alyssa Healy admitted her side had been "outplayed" in the second ODI. The eight-time world champions will undoubtedly iron out their flaws and adjust to the sweltering Indian heat. This loss was a rare setback for Australia, who had gone unbeaten in 13 ODIs since their defeat to South Africa in February 2024.
Healy remarked, "We came over here with the expectations of it being a huge challenge, not just playing India, but throughout the whole World Cup. So these games are invaluable in terms of practice and getting ourselves ready for the matches to come as well."
IND W Vs AUS W Squads
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Uma Chetry, Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh (wk), Kranti Goud, Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Sneh Rana, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Tejal Hasabnis, Sayali Satghare, Deepti Sharma, Shree Charani, Radha Yadav.
Australia: Alyssa Healy (c & wk), Tahlia McGrath, Darcie Brown, Nicole Faltum, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Charli Knott, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham.
(With PTI Inputs)
