Australia Women Win the Decider Despite Record-Breaking Mandhana Ton

The decider between India Women and Australia Women proved to be a run-fest, as Australia finally came out as the series winners. The game at Delhi was a tough test for bowlers, as batters from both sides dominated the game. Australia Women won the match by 43 runs, as India fell short despite Smriti Mandhana breaking several records with her scintillating hundred.

Batting first, Australia Women made the Indian bowlers pay, as they took everyone to the cleaners by hitting aggressively. After losing the last match by a big margin, Australian Women wanted to make a statement. They knew that the decider at Delhi would be tough, as Team India would be looking to once again repeat their heroics.

However, the experienced batting department of Australia Women came into the game having specialized plans against Indian bowlers. Both Georgia Voll and Ellyse Perry played aggressively from the start, as they hit superlative fifties to dent Indian bowling plans. Georgia Voll scored 81 by hitting 14 boundaries, while Ellyse Perry made 68 off 74 balls by hitting 7 fours and 2 sixes.

The star of the Australian batting was, however, Beth Mooney. She exhibited a strong performance in the decider by scoring 138 runs off 75 balls. Her innings was especially good because the rate at which she scored runs stunned the Indian team. It was due to her innings, Australia made a big total of 412 at the end of the innings.

Beth Mooney’s hundred was laced with aggression as well as elegance. She hit 23 fours and a six to score one of her fastest centuries in the 3rd ODI at Delhi. This innings literally broke the back of the Indian bowling, as they found no answers to stop her. Mooney ultimately got run out in the 45th over, but her innings gave Australia what it really wanted.

Coming out to chase the big target of 413, India also had a plan. They knew that the pitch was a belter, and it could give them a base to chase the total, should one of their batters hit a big century. The Indian opening plans, however, didn’t work well, as Pratika Rawal fell cheaply in the 4th over. This was an early shock in the innings, but Smriti Mandhana made sure not to lose the plan.

She batted aggressively from the start, knowing that this pitch has loads of runs for the right shots. She matched the strike rate of Australian batters, ensuring India to stay in the game. Due to this, Smriti Mandhana scored a stunning century off just 50 balls. This precisely defines the aggression and caliber of her innings, as scoring runs with that strike against rampant Australian bowlers isn’t an easy task.

Alongside Smriti, Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma also played fighting knocks. Unfortunately, the total made by Australia was very high, and Indian batters, despite playing aggressively, were not matching the required run rate.

In the end, India finally lost the match by 43 runs. It was a spirited effort, but not good enough to win the match against the rampant Aussies. By winning the match, Australia Women also sealed the series by 2-1. They bounced back strongly after the loss they faced in the last game, showcasing why they are the most competitive side in the world.