In a nail-biting encounter at the Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Australia achieved a record-breaking chase to defeat India in the Women’s World Cup 2025. India, after posting a formidable 330 runs thanks to stellar innings from Pratika Rawal and Smriti Mandhana, saw their strong position crumble in the final overs.
Australia’s captain Alyssa Healy led the charge with a magnificent 142, supported by Ellyse Perry’s steady 47 not out, as they successfully chased down the highest target in Women’s One Day International (WODI) history, securing a three-wicket victory. Following the disappointing loss, Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur reflected on the team’s performance, admitting that crucial overs proved to be their undoing. Kaur felt the team could have added an additional 30-40 runs if they had capitalized better on the batting-friendly pitch during the latter stages of their innings. She highlighted the exceptional performances of the openers for consistently enabling scores above 300 but lamented the inability to finish strongly in the last six overs. Kaur also acknowledged the commendable effort of the lower order in recent matches. Despite two recent setbacks, she remains optimistic about the team’s bowling attack, specifically praising Charani’s consistent effectiveness and expressing confidence in her ability to provide breakthroughs. The captain emphasized the team’s resilience and the importance of regrouping for future matches, stating that a successful bowling combination wouldn’t be discarded after a couple of challenging games.