IND vs AUS Women 3rd ODI: Team India suffered a humiliating loss at the hands of Australia Women on Tuesday (January 2). Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. were poor in all three departments of the game as the Women in Yellow completed a series white-wash over the Women in Blue.
India vs Australia: Preview
As the India Women vs Australia Women 3rd ODI unfolds at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai today, the Indian team, led by Captain Harmanpreet Kaur, is fervently seeking a consolation win to evade a home whitewash against the formidable Australian side.
The ongoing series has seen India grappling with a nine-match losing streak in ODIs against the world champions, as Australia clinched an unassailable 2-0 lead. Despite commendable leadership from Harmanpreet Kaur, who steered her side to historic results in the Tests during a lengthy home season, her personal struggles with the bat have been apparent.
In eight innings across formats this season, she has managed to reach double digits only thrice, with a high score of 49 against England in the one-off Test last month.
While India shone in the one-off Test against Australia, exploiting favorable home conditions, their vulnerabilities surfaced in white-ball cricket during the last two ODIs.
In the first ODI, India’s bowling performance was subpar, leading to a six-wicket defeat despite setting their highest-ever total of 282 for 8. The second game witnessed seven dropped catches by India, allowing Australia to escape with a narrow three-run victory.
IND vs AUS Women: The positives
Amid these challenges, Richa Ghosh’s impactful performance in the second ODI, scoring 96 off 113 balls, and Jemimah Rodrigues’ consistent contributions (82 and 44) with the bat have been bright spots for India. Ghosh, emerging as India’s new find at No. 3, adds aggression to the top order, providing the team with significant firepower.
As the pressure mounts on players like Amanjot Kaur and Deepti Sharma to deliver in crucial moments, India’s head coach, Amol Muzumdar, acknowledged the team’s status as a work in progress after the second ODI. The significance of catching opportunities was evident, and India remains focused on ironing out these areas.
India Women vs Australia Women
Australia’s dominance over India in ODIs at home extends for 16 years, with the last victory for India dating back to February 2007. The recent head-to-head record further emphasizes Australia’s consistency in the format:
- September 24, 2021: Australia won by 5 wickets in Mackay
- September 26, 2021: India won by 2 wickets in Mackay
- March 19, 2022: Australia won by 6 wickets in Auckland
- December 28, 2023: Australia won by 6 wickets in Mumbai
- December 30, 2023: Australia won by 3 wickets in Mumbai
The third ODI is scheduled for January 2, 2024, at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. The toss is set for 1:00 PM IST, with the contest kicking off at 1:30 PM IST. As India endeavors to salvage pride and avoid a whitewash, fans eagerly anticipate a thrilling encounter at one of cricket’s iconic venues.
