Vishakapatnam, Oct 13: Australia produced a historic performance in the Women’s World Cup as captain Alyssa Healy smashed a brilliant 142 off 107 balls to lead her team to a three-wicket victory over India. Chasing a target of 331, Australia completed the highest successful run chase in women’s ODI history.India posted a formidable total of 330, powered by Smriti Mandhana’s 80 and Pratika Rawal’s 75. However, India’s late-order collapse, losing six wickets for just 36 runs, allowed Australia to remain in contention. Annabel Sutherland starred with a five-wicket haul for Australia, keeping India’s total within reach.
During the chase, Healy dominated with 21 fours and 3 sixes, supported by Ellyse Perry’s unbeaten 47. Despite losing wickets at crucial stages, Australia held their nerve to complete the chase in the 49th over.
For India, Mandhana became the fastest player to reach 5,000 runs in women’s ODIs, but the team fell short in a match that will be remembered for Healy’s record-breaking innings.
The match showcased the depth and resilience of both sides. India started strongly, with contributions from Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh, but could not maintain momentum in the final overs. Australia, on the other hand, demonstrated exceptional composure under pressure, with Healy anchoring the innings and rotating the strike effectively.
This thrilling encounter is expected to have a major impact on the tournament standings. With Australia posting such a record chase, they have sent a clear message to other teams about their batting strength. For India, the loss will be a learning experience, highlighting the need to strengthen the middle and lower order to handle high-pressure chases in future matches.