Brisbane [Australia], February 24 : Australia women defeated India by six wickets in the opening match of the ODI bilateral series held at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane on Tuesday. The Alyssa Healy-led side has taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.
Australia came to the match on the back of a 1-2 series defeat in the T20I series. They successfully chased the 215-run target having restricted the visitors to 214.
Chasing the target, captain Healy added 55 runs for the first wicket with Phoebe Litchfield (32 off 32 balls). Shree Charani got the first breakthrough for her side in the 11th over. She also got rid of Georgia Voll in the same over.
Departing captain Healy made 50 off 70 balls. She added 64 runs for the second wicket with Beth Mooney (76 off 79 balls). Annabel Sutherland (48 not out off 44 balls) and Gardner (5 not out off 4 balls) remained unbeaten as Australia secured an easy win.
Mooney was named Player of the Match for her match-winning knock.
Opting to bat first, India Women lost their first wicket in the very first over when Megan Schutt found Pratika Rawal in front of the wickets.
Shafali Varma came to bat one down and couldn't find the momentum. She went back after making just four runs off 17 balls. Darcie Brown got her caught and bowled in the eighth over.
Jemimah Rodrigues was the next to depart after making just eight runs. Ashleigh Gardner dismissed her soon after the powerplay ended. Beth Mooney took a fine catch behind the wickets.
Smriti Mandhana completed her half-century with a single off Tahlia McGrath in the 20th over.
McGrath dismissed Mandhana in her next over at the score of 58. She hit seven fours in her impressive knock.
Deepti Sharma replaced her at the crease and soon departed after making just two runs. Richa Ghosh joined captain Harmanpreet Kaur after that and the duo added 37 runs for the sixth wicket.
Ghosh lost her wicket to Sophie Molineux. She made 23 runs off 38 balls, including two boundaries.
All-rounder Kashvee Gautam added 53 runs for the seventh wicket with her skipper before Gardner dismissed Harmanpreet at the score of 53 runs. She played 84 balls and hit three boundaries.
Gautam's quick 43 with the help of three sixes and as many fours, helped India go past the 200-run mark.
Gardner picked up three wickets for Australia as Schutt took a couple of wickets. Brown, Alana King, McGrath and Molineux shared one wicket each among them.
The Indian team will go to Hobart to play their second ODI match of the series at the Bellerive Oval, scheduled for Friday.
Brief Score: India Women 214/10 in 48.3 overs (Smriti Mandhana 58, Harmanpreet Kaur 53; Ashleigh Gardner 3/33) vs Australia Women 217/4 in 38.2 overs (Beth Mooney 76, Alyssa Healy 50; Shree Charani 2/41).