New Delhi: In a momentous display of grit, the Indian Women’s Cricket Team (406 & 75/2) led by Harmanpreet Kaur etched their names in history books by clinching a resounding win against the formidable Australia Women’s Cricket Team (219 & 261) in the red-ball format, marking their first triumph over their rivals. The decisive victory unfolded at Mumbai’s iconic Wankhede Stadium in a gripping one-off test encounter. India sealed the win by a commanding 8-wicket margin, exemplifying their dominance on home soil.
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Australia, having been bundled out for a modest 219 in their first innings, found themselves facing the daunting challenge of tackling the host’s imposing total of 406 runs. Despite a more determined effort in their second innings, the Australians struggled against the Indian spinners, succumbing to the peril of sweeping shots as five of their ten batters fell prey to this strategy. Australia’s second innings total was 261-10 in 105.4 overs setting a modest target of just 74 runs for the Indians.
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The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side reached home with 8 wickets in hand. After opting to bat first in the game, Australia were bundled out for 219 with India posting 406 runs in reply and taking a lead of 157 runs. Australia were all out for 261 in the second innings setting a paltry target that failed to trouble India.
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In the first innings, India posted a solid total of 406 runs, while Australia managed 219 runs, giving India a lead of 187 runs. India’s batting showcased great performances: Deepti Sharma scored 78 runs, Smriti Mandhana added 74 runs, Jemimah Rodrigues contributed 73 runs, and Richa Ghosh made 52 runs. Meanwhile, Australia’s Tahila McGrath scored 50 runs, and Beth Mooney added 40 runs to their team’s total in the first innings. When it came to bowling, Pooja Vastrakar impressed for India, grabbing four wickets, while Sneh Rana took three wickets, showcasing a strong bowling performance for the Indian side.
