Sneh Rana pulls off a stunner to send Alyssa Healey back in the 1st IND vs AUS ODI. (Screengrabs: X/BCCI Women)One of the things that Amol Muzumdar said in his first press conference as India’s women’s team head coach was to see the side become better at fielding. It has long been Harmanpreet Kaur’s hopes as well, as the captain to see her side get better in that department. On Thursday at the Wankhede Stadium, both coach and captain were evidently delighted as they saw Sneh Rana pull off a blinder in the first ODI against Australia.
In the first over of Australia’s innings, Renuka Singh Thakur dangled a carrot outside the off stump to Australia captain Alyssa Healy. A fast starter in the white-ball formats, Healy threw her bat at it and went for the expansive drive. The ball took the outside edge and went in the air, seemingly heading past the fielder at short third.
Sneh Rana had other ideas. She threw herself in the air and dived full length to complete a sensational catch. She needed some treatment on her back afterward but came back onto the field later.
𝙎𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝘾𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝! 🤯
What a grab THAT from @SnehRana15 to dismiss Alyssa Healy in the first over🔥🔥#TeamIndia | #INDvAUS | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/kKtIfA1AHh
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) December 28, 2023
Earlier in the day, a fine 82 from Jemimah Rodrigues and a brisk unbeaten 62 from Pooja Vastrakar propelled India to their highest total in women’s ODIs against Australia. India’s previous best against Australia in ODIs was 281/4 at Derby in 2017, famous for Harmanpreet’s 171 in a rain-truncated innings.
With several top-order batters failing to convert starts, Jemimah battled energy-sapping heat and humidity to carry her imperious form, notching up her second fifty in four ODIs this year, and the first against Australia. The right-handed batter also recorded her second-best score in the format, laced with seven boundaries off 77 balls. She also forged several partnerships in the middle at the Wankhede Stadium, including a 68-run stand with Vastrakar for the eighth wicket.
This is the first of three ODIs between the two teams in Mumbai, before they shift bases to Navi Mumbai in the new year for three T20Is. India had won the one-off Test previously.
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