- On Sunday, Australia overcame India in the Women’s World Cup match at the ACA-VDCA Stadium, Visakhapatnam
- Captain Alyssa Healy made 142 runs off 107 balls with 21 fours and 3 sixes
- Healy's innings helped Australia chase down a record target of 331 runs, with one over remaining
Captain Alyssa Healy guided the side effortlessly with a commanding innings of 142 runs from 107 balls (21 fours, 3 sixes) as Australia completed a record chase of 331 with one over to spare in Women's World Cup Match 8 at the ACA-VDCA Stadium on Sunday.
The Indian top order batted first after the side was inserted to Smriti Mandhana (80 off 66; 9 fours, 3 sixes) and Pratika Rawal (75 off 96; 10 fours, 1 six) provided their side with a good platform, adding 155 for the first wicket.
Smriti scored her 33rd ODI half-century off 46 deliveries and became the fastest woman player to score 5,000 runs in ODIs; both credentials were confirmed with her fifth consecutive fifty against Australia. Pratika also scored her seventh ODI fifty and added a little partnership with +37 runs of Harleen Deol (38).
Middle and lower order failed later in the innings losing 5 wickets for just 36 runs after a good beginning. Annabel Sutherland (birthday girl) grabbed five wickets for 40 runs and restricted India to 330 after 48.5 overs.
Richa Ghosh (32 off 22) and Jemimah Rodrigues (33 off 21) contributed a decent late combination of +54 runs to end the innings.
Australia quickly began to respond as Alyssa and Phoebe Litchfield (40 from 39) added 81 for the first wicket. Alyssa went after Kranti Gaud in one over, scoring 19 runs, while Phoebe hit a boundary off Amanjot Kaur in the 10th over.
Phoebe was caught at point by Sneh Rana off the bowling of Shree Charani. Alyssa benefited from Ellyse Perry's (47*) consistent stroke play in the background to push the rate with aggressive risks. Ellyse did retire briefly for cramps but came back to finish the chase off with a six off Rana.
India responded, though, as Deepti Sharma trapped Beth Mooney, as well as Charani, bowled Annabel in back-to-back overs, leaving Australia 170/3 in the 28th over. Alyssa looked in control, reaching her century off 84 balls, and then took off, adding another 97 runs for the fourth wicket with Ashleigh Gardner (45 from 46). Alyssa's innings ended when Rana took a catch off bowler Shree.
India was in the game for a minute when Deepti trapped Tahlia McGrath lbw and Amanjot dismissed Ashleigh and Sophie Molineux off consecutive deliveries, leaving Australia 303/7. However, Perry came to the crease and concluded the match, completing the highest successful chase in Women's World Cup history.
