1st ODI, Mumbai, December 28, 2023, 01:30 PM

282/8(50.0ov)
285/4(46.3ov)

Australia Women beat India Women by 6 wickets

Right then, that is from this pretty one-sided game where Australia Women take an early in the series while India Women will look to come back stronger in the next game and level things up. The 2nd ODI will be played on 30th December, Saturday at 1.30 pm IST (8 am GMT), but as you know, you can always join us early for all the build-up to the game. Until then, cheers and goodbye!
Phoebe Litchfield is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for her excellent knock. She says that awards are always a special thing for her. She stated that early on Ellyse Perry played her own game, and she was the one who slowed up the partnership but that partnership was really important for her team, and they both brought up fifties which was the best. She mentions that the pitch was decent enough, although the balls weren't spinning as much as she thought. She thinks she needs to work on the game a bit better.
Alyssa Healy, the victorious skipper of Australia Women says in the interview that it has been a great night for them and it feels amazing to start the series 1-0. He adds that they were in control of the game till the 35th over and then Indian batters started turning the game around. She says that it is all about playing straight down the ground and hitting the ball in the front V and they will continue to do that as it's getting them good results.
Harmanpreet Kaur, the captain of India Women says that in the first innings they managed to get their part but she feels like fielding was a bit under the light for her team. She also stated, that later on in the match the bowlers were having a bit problem gripping the ball because of the dew, but again she mentioned that they could have done better in fielding. She also appreciated the fielding efforts of the Aussies of how they were saving runs for their team. She appreciated Pooja for her incredible knock and for doing good with the ball as well. She ends up saying they need to back themselves and play aggressive cricket.
Presentation Time...
Ellyse Perry is up for a quick chat. She says it was really fun to bat with Phoebe Litchfield. Adds that they coordinated and put up a big partnership together which was missing in the Test format. She says it was nice to see that they finished the way they planned. She also tells hat the condition suited them pretty well. She thought they would bundle team India around 280 but things went a bit off, but she gave the credits to their fielders and bowlers. With the lights coming in the field the bowlers had a low margin for error with the field restrictions. She also stated they enjoyed Christmas with her team mates which was pretty exciting. She ended up appreciating the energy they were putting on the ground matched with the bowling.
Earlier in the game, India Women posted a good total on the board courtesy of a brilliant 82 from Jemimah Rodrigues and decent contributions from the others with Yastika Bhatia missing out on her fifty by just on run. A quick-fire half-century from Pooja Vastrakar made sure they finished on a strong note. Annabel Sutherland and Ashleigh Gardner got a couple of wickets each for the Aussies while except for Tahlia McGrath every other bowler chipped in with one. While chasing, the Aussies got off to a shaky start but two big two big partnerships made sure that they chase down this total with ease.
India Women, on the other hand, will be very disappointed with their bowling effort. They were pretty good in the field in the initial overs and got their first breakthrough through a stunning catch from Sneh Rana, but as the game went on, they became ordinary and let through a lot of runs and a few opportunities as well. Their bowlers looked out of ideas for a long time, but their spinners, Deepti Sharma and Rana did manage to get a couple of wickets in the middle overs. However, by then it was too late for the hosts. Pooja Vastrakar also got a wicket towards the end but that was not enough as they go behind in this series.
Australia Women got off to the worst possible starts as they lost their skipper for nothing on the board. However, Ellyse Perry used her experience well to steady things up along with the young Phoebe Litchfield. They always looked to score runs and be proactive and didn't miss out on punishing the loose deliveries. They built up a mammoth partnership of 148 runs with both registering fine fifties which set up a solid base for this run chase. They used their feet well to negotiate the spin threat of the hosts and rotated the strike well to not let the bowlers settle. Even though, both of them were dismissed in their 70s, they put the visitors in complete control of the game. Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath then took matters in their own hands and took them closer to the target but unfortunately the former got out on 42. However, the latter made sure there were no more hiccups and remained unbeaten on 68 and finished things off in style and with a lot of balls to spare.
AUSTRALIA WOMEN GO 1-0 UP! This has been a comprehensive performance from the Aussies and they extend their already dominant record against India Women in this format. This is also the second-highest successful run-chase in Women's ODIs.  After that Test loss, the visitors will feel a lot better now and will look to wrap this series up in the next game.
In over# 47
4
0
1
Sneh Rana 54/1(9.3)
46.3
4
FOUR! That is the end of the game and it's Australia Women who have chased down a big total with 6 wickets in hand in 46.3 overs. Tahlia McGrath hits a brilliant inside out over the mid off fielder to bring up another boundary to finish things off.
46.2
.
Tossed up outside the off stump. Tahlia McGrath steps down and drives the ball straight to covers.
46.1
1
Just short at the pads. Ashleigh Gardner stays back and flicks the ball to deep square leg for a single.
In over# 46
0
0
0
1
1
4
Pooja Vastrakar 41/1(8)
45.6
.
Another superb yorker, negotiated well by Tahlia McGrath.
45.5
.
Nails a perfect yorker on the stumps and Tahlia McGrath looking to make room and play the cover drive, gets an inside edge towards covers.
45.4
.
Pitched up on the off stump. Tahlia McGrath drives the ball straight to mid off. Dot ball.
45.3
1
Length ball on the pads and Ashleigh Gardner flicks the ball straight to deep square leg for a single.