New Delhi: Title favourites Australia registered a thumping 8-wicket win over in the ICC Women's World Cup on Wednesday. Put into bat, India managed 226 for seven with opener Punam Raut scoring a defiant hundred and skipper Mithali herself hitting 69. In the process, she became the first female cricketer to score 6000 runs in ODIs. Australia chased down the target with 29 balls to spare. For India, it was second successive defeat.
Brief scores:
India women: 226 for 7 in 50 overs (Punam Raut 106, Mithali Raj 69; Ellyse Perry 2/37).
ALSO READ: India Women vs Australia Women — Match Report
Australia women: 227 for two in 45.1 overs (Meg Lanning 76 not out, Ellyse Perry 60 not out).
AUSTRALIA INNINGS; TARGET 227
Over 45.1 | Score 227/2 | Meg Lanning 76 (88); Ellyse Perry 60 (67b)
Ellyse Perry finished the chase with a four off Jhulan Goswami, off the first ball of the 46th over. A comprehensive 8-wicket win for Australia, while back-to-back defeats for India.
India had their chances, and spilled some; but that unbroken third-wicket stand of 124 between Meg Lanning and Perry was something special, and Indians had no answer to it.
With that Australia have qualified for the semis. India will need to beat New Zealand in their final group match on Saturday to stand a chance to book a place in the last-four.
Over 40 | Score 195/2 | Meg Lanning 65 (75); Ellyse Perry 39 (49b)
The third-wicket stand between Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry is now worth 92 in 17.3 overs. Slow steady, as they say. That's what the Aussie batswomen are doing, with little more conviction.
For India, except Shikha Pandey, none of the bowlers managed to impress. Yes, Poonam Yadav got a wicket, but she too went for runs.
Australia need another 32 runs from 60 balls.
Over 36 | Score 172/2 | Meg Lanning 55 (64); Ellyse Perry 26 (36b)
It's one way traffic at Bristol, with Australia taking complete control of the match. In the last five overs, Australia have added 24 runs, with skipper Meg Lanning staying firm and resolute. And giving her the perfect company is Ellyse Perry.
They now need another 55 runs from 14 overs.
Over 32 | Score 155/2 | Meg Lanning 46 (48); Ellyse Perry 19 (28b)
Aussie skipper Meg Lanning is showing her class against a seemingly clueless Indian bowling unit. Lanning and Ellyse Perry have added 52 in 57 balls for the third wicket and Australia moved ever closer to the target.
Over 25 | Score 112/2 | Meg Lanning 24 (27b); Ellyse Perry 0 (7b)
India got their second breakthrough, but continued to struggle at Bristol. In the 23rd over, Beth Mooney got herself run out trying to steal a non-existent single. But the 23-year-old seemed to have done the job. She scored 45 off 68 balls to give Aussies a good platform.
WICKET: Beth Mooney run out 45 (68b)
Here fall brought Ellyse Perry in the centre. For India, skipper Mithali Raj has utilised six bowlers, with Poonam Yadav the lone wicket-taker.
Over 20 | Score 86/1 | Beth Mooney 36 (59b); Meg Lanning 12 (13b)
India finally managed a breakthrough, removing Nicole Boston. The Aussie opener was given out, caught behind off Poonam Yadav in the 16th over.
WICKET: Nicole Bolton c Sushma Verma b Poonam Yadav 36 (48b)
Mag Lanning joined Beth Mooney in the centre. Australia need another 141 runs from 30 overs.
Over 15 | Score 57/0 | Beth Mooney 23 (44b); Nicole Bolton 32 (46b)
Australia have increased the scoring rate in the last five overs, with Nicole Bolton leading the charge. The 28-year-old hit Ekta Bisht for three fours of successive balls in the 11th over. But Indian bowlers did well to control the proceedings with few good overs. Australia still need another 170 runs from 35 overs.
Over 10 | Score 34/0 | Beth Mooney 17 (32b); Nicole Bolton 15 (28b)
No breakthrough for India, but both the spinners – Deepti Sharma and Ekta Bisht – are doing excellent jobs keeping the Aussie openers quiet. It's 34 for none after 10 overs.
Australia still need 193 runs from 40 overs.
Over 5 | Score 18/0 | Beth Mooney 9 (13b); Nicole Bolton 9 (17b)
Steady start, or more of an extra cautious one from the Aussies. But Nicole Bolton managed to hit the last ball of the fifth over, bowled by Jhulan Goswami , for a four – pulled behind square. Both the Aussie openers have hit two fours each.
For India, it was Goswami-Deepti Sharma pair in the attack.
Australia still need another 209 runs from 45 overs.
Over 1 | Score 0/0 | Beth Mooney 0 (6b); Nicole Bolton 0 (0b)
Jhulan Goswami started with a maiden over to Beth Mooney. For India to defend this total of 226, their bowlers, especially the spinners will need to bowl their hearts out. Aussies, the team to beat in the tournament, would fancy chasing this target without much ado. But it can all change if India can take a couple of early wickets.
Over 50 | Score 226/7 | Shikha Pandey 7 (5b); Deepti Sharma 5 (2b)
This is pity. India lost five wickets in the last five overs, scoring only 33 runs.
Megan Schutt finished with two wickets, as thus Ellyse Perry.
WICKET: Sushma Verma b Megan Schutt 6 (8b)
Over 49 | Score 218/6 | Sushma Verma 5 (6b); Shikha Pandey 5 (3b)
One busy penultimate over. Ellyse Perry got the better of Jhulan Goswami, who was going for a slog. Goswami missed the line, and bowled.
WICKET: Jhulan Goswami b Ellyse Perry 2 (3b)
That happened off the first ball of the over. Shikha Pandey joined Sushma Verma in the centre.
A dot ball followed, then a single. Two more singles then Shikha hit the last ball for a four, beating the diving fielder at the deep. Seven runs and wicket from the over.
Over 48 | Score 211/5 | Sushma Verma 3 (4b); Jhulan Goswami 2 (2b)
Harmanpreet Kaur's little entertaining innings came to an end. Got stumped. Trying to go another slog, but lost the ground. Wicket to Megan Schutt.
WICKET: Harmanpreet Kaur st Alyssa Healy b Megan Schutt 23 (22b)
That happened off the third ball of the 48th over. Five runs from the over. Jhulan Goswami is the new batswoman for India.batswoman for India.
Over 47 | Score 206/4 | Harmanpreet Kaur 22 (20b); 20b); Sushma Verma 1 (2b)
One huge over for the Aussies. Two wickets, including that of Punam Raut, for runs four runs. Ellyse Perry first got rid of Raut, thanks to a good catch by Nicole Bolton at deep backward square leg.
WICKET: Punam Raut c Nicole Bolton b Ellyse Perry 106 (136b)
That happened off the second ball of the over. Then, the run out of Veda Krishnamurthy, off the next ball. Huge mixed-up, resulting in Krishnamurthy sacrificing her wicket at the non-striker's end.
WICKET: Veda Krishnamurthy run out 0 (0b)
Over 46 | Score 202/2 | Punam Raut 106 (135b); Harmanpreet Kaur 19 (17b)
India added another 15 runs in the last two overs – six from the 45th and ninth from the 46th. Ellyse Perry started her eighth over with a couple of twos to Punam Raut, who had just brought up her hundred. But Perry did well to end the over with two singles and two dots.
In the 46th over, Harmanpreet Kaur hit Jess Jonassen for a six over the mid-wicket boundary. That happened off the fourth ball. And there were three singles too.
Over 44 | Score 187/2 | Punam Raut 100 (129b); Harmanpreet Kaur 10 (11b)
This is brilliant from Punam Raut. The Indian opener reached her second ODI hundred with a single off the last ball of the 44th over, bowled by Jess Jonassen. The over yielded seven runs.
In the previous over, India added six runs with Indian batswomen taking singles off each Kristen Beams' six deliveries.
Over 42 | Score 174/2 | Punam Raut 91 (121b); Harmanpreet Kaur 6(7b)
Hectic start to death overs. India lost skipper Mithali Raj, thanks to a caught and bowled by Kristen Beams off the third ball.
WICKET: Mithali Raj c & b Kristen Beams 69 (114b)
That brough Harmanpreet Kaur into the centre. Two runs and a wicket from the over. Mithali and Punam Raut have added 157 runs in 37.1 overs, at a rate of 4.22.
Then, India added eight runs in the next over with Harmanpreet Kaur hitting her first four, off the third ball of the 42nd over, between mid-on and mid-wicket.
Over 39 | Score 157/1 | Punam Raut 84 (114b); Mithali Raj 66 (110b)
Post Drinks, India off with with a 10-run over. Ashleigh Gardner's ninth over started a couple as Punam Raut worked around the third man area. Three singles, then Mithali Raj hit a four through extra cover. A single to end the over.
Jess Jonassen her Aussie team-mates interested with a huge shout against the Indian skipper Mithal Raj for LBW. A review, and wasted. Replays showed the ball pitching outside the line. That happened off the third ball of the 39th over.
Six runs from the over.
Over 37 | Score 141/1 | Punam Raut 78 (109b); Mithali Raj 56 (103b)
The innings entered a decisive phase with India only one down and with batting power play in hand. To pose a challenging total, Indian batswomen would need to score some quick runs. And it can start with Punam Raut.
But in the last two overs, only ten runs were added. Then, it's Drinks at Bristol.
Over 35 | Score 131/1 | Punam Raut 71 (100b); Mithali Raj 53 (100b)
A century stand between Punam Raut and skipper Mithali Raj has revived Indian hope against the tournament favourites in this crucial match. Their stand is now worth 118 runs in 31 overs.
Mithali, meanwhile, notched up her 49th ODI fifty with a single off the second ball of 33rd over, bowled by Megan Schutt. The skipper's knock is bit slow as comparing to her partner Raut's, but it was understandable considering the fact that India lost flambouyant Smriti Mandhana in the fourth over itself.
Over 32 | Score 116/1 | Punam Raut 61 (88b); Mithali Raj 49 (94b)
In the last five overs, India have added another 28 without losing a wicket. Meanwhile, it's Mithali Raj all the way. The skipper hit a six off the third ball of the 30th over, bowled by Kristen Beams – over long-off – to become the first player to reach 6000 ODI runs in women's cricket.
In the next over, Punam Raut hit a four through the long-on region, off the penultimate ball, bowled by Megan Schutt.
Over 29 | Score 94/1 | Punam Raut 54 (81b); Mithali Raj 35 (83b)
A steady between skipper Mithali Raj and Punam Raut helped India rebuild the innings. The duo have added 85 runs in 26 overs for the second wicket with Mithali moving close to 6000 Women's ODI runs. She now need another six runs. But she is now the leading all-time scorer in women's cricket, breaking Charlotte Edwards' 5992. Here's the report!
Over 26 | Score 85/1 | (Punam 52*, Mithali 28*)
Punam slammed Perry past long-off for a boundary to bring her fifty off 74 balls. Superb knock under pressure. She has shown positive intent today against the mighty Aussies and this knock is a special one. Meanwhile, Mithali is six runs away from becoming the leading run-scorer in women's ODI cricket.
Over 22 | Score 67/1 | (Punam 42*, Mithali 20*)
Punam continued her good and hit two boundaries off Gardener in the 22nd over of the innings. The partnership is now worth 58 runs and the Aussies would be desperate to get another breakthrough.
Over 17 | Score 43/1 | (Punam 27*, Mithali 11*)
Indian fans had their hearts in their mouth as Mithali was declared out lbw. However, the DRS saved the Indian skipper as hawkeye suggested the ball was missing leg-stump. Mithali has the potential to hit a big knock and she is being well supported by Punam.
Over 12 | Score 30/1 | (Punam 20*, Mithali 5*)
Punam has played some good shots under pressure. Mithali, who needs 29 more runs to become the highest run-scorer in women's cricket, is taking her own time to get going.
Over 8 | Score 17/1 | (Punam 9*, Mithali 4*)
Mithali and Punam are now batting cautiously. India need a strong partnership at the top after Smriti's early exit.
Over 4 | Score 9/1 | (Punam 5*, Mithali 0*)
Ashleigh Gardner struck early in the innings as she got the prized wicket of Smriti Mandhana. The ball spun into Smriti - who was expecting it to move away from her and edged it to the keeper. Skipper Mithali Raj is the next batswoman in. She is just 34 runs away from becoming the highest run-scorer in women's cricket and the team needs a special knock from their skipper today.
S Mandhana c Healy b Gardner 3 (10b)
Over 1 | Score 2/0 | (Punam 1*, Smriti 1*)
Good start by Megan Schutt, just two from the first over.
TOSS: Australian skipper Meg Lanning has won the toss and has opted to field first.
The winner of today's game will advance into the semi-finals of the coveted tournament. Indian eves will heavily rely on their batting department and the likes of Mithali Raji, Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur will have to produce big scores to put the Aussies under pressure.
Australia, despite being a world class team, will also enter the match after suffering a heartbreaking three-run loss against arch-rivals England. Australia lead the head-to-head record against India 8-2.
What time will the match start?
The match will start at 3 PM IST.
Where will the match be played?
The ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 is being hosted in England and Wales. The match between India and Australia will be played at County ground, Bristol.
Where to watch the match?
India vs Australia will be aired live on Start Sports 1 and Star Sports 1 HD. It is the 23rd match of the tournament for both teams.
Where can we see Live streaming?
The match can be streamed live on Hotstar.
