India Women vs Australia Women Live Score (PTI)
Mumbai, India: The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai witnessed a thrilling opening day of the one-off Test between India Women and Australia Women. After losing early wickets, Team India staged a spirited comeback thanks to Pooja Vastrakar’s fiery bowling and Smriti Mandhana’s resolute batting. At stumps, Australia stands precariously placed at 180/8, with the Indian bowlers holding the upper hand.
Australia, opting to bat first, lost both Beth Mooney and Phoebe Litchfield cheaply to Vastrakar’s swing bowling. Ellyse Perry, the veteran all-rounder, fell victim to a brilliant caught-and-bowled dismissal by Deepti Sharma for just 4 runs. However, Alyssa Healy and Tahlia McGrath steadied the ship with a crucial partnership of 79 runs. Healy, the aggressive opener, reached her fifty before holing out to Harmanpreet Kaur off Shikha Pandey’s bowling.
Just when Australia seemed to be regaining control, McGrath (70) was unfortunately run out by a direct hit from Smriti Mandhana at mid-on. Wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals, with Megan Schutt and Annabel Sutherland putting up some resistance before being dismissed by Radha Yadav and Pooja Vastrakar respectively.
India’s batting performance in the final session offered a glimpse of their resilience. Smriti Mandhana, playing with characteristic elegance, remained unbeaten on 43 at the close of play. She found valuable support from Jemimah Rodrigues (22) and Deepti Sharma (16*), who played some positive strokes to end the day at 73/1, trailing by just 107 runs.
Key Takeaways from Day 1:
- Pooja Vastrakar’s exceptional bowling with 3 wickets put India back in the game after early jitters.
- Smriti Mandhana’s unbeaten knock provided a solid foundation for the Indian chase.
- Australia will need a strong batting performance on Day 2 to overcome the deficit and put pressure on India.
The stage is set for an enthralling battle over the next three days. Can India capitalize on their strong bowling performance and build a substantial lead? Or will Australia find a way to bat India out of the game? The answer will unfold in the coming days, keeping cricket fans on the edge of their seats.
Stay tuned for further updates on this exciting Test match!
