India Women vs Australia Women ​Score Updates, 1st ODI: Beth Mooney’s classy 76 powers Australia to comfortable win

The multi-format series is now level at 4-4.

Next up, the second ODI in Hobart on Friday.

A supremely controlled performance by Australia at a venue where they have never lost a match (21 wins). The bowlers were superb, and Beth Mooney masterfully controlled the run-chase.

Beth Mooney: "We weren't too unhappy when they won the toss and opted to bat first. It does a little bit here."

AND ANNABEL SUTHERLAND FINISHES WITH A SIX! The star allrounder dances down and lofts Deepti Sharma over midwicket for a huge six. India comprehensively outplayed by SIX wickets and 11.4 overs to spare.

AUSTRALIA WIN FIRST ODI AND LEVEL SERIES AT 4 POINTS EACH.

Mooney won't be around to hit the winnings runs but has played a superbly calculated knock in this run-chase. Just metronomic, from the moment she walked into the middle to face a hat trick ball. Deepti slows one down, Mooney uses her feet again but this time chips it straight to the fielder at cover.

Beth Mooney c Smriti Mandhana b Deepti Sharma 76 (79 balls)

Flighted delivery from Deepti, Mooney creams this one through extra cover. Packed ringfield, there are two fielders in the deep too but it goes through evey one. What a shot, into the 70s goes Mooney. Might not have enough of the target left for a ton though. Sutherland helps herself to a couple of doubles in that over. And then Shafali lets one through the legs at mid off as the wheels come off for India.

Huge over for Australia.

"Moons is in a hurry," remarks Healy as Mooney nails a lofted on drive against Kashvee. "The way we have approached the run-chase has been fantastic." Australia are finishing without much of a fuss.

SIX AND HALF CENTURY! That is without doubt the best knock of the day. Once again, great use of the feet, gets to the pitch of the delivery and lofts one down the ground for her second six of the night.

This is now ending in a canter for Australia. Renuka returns to the attack, and Sutherland pounces on just a whiff of width, square cut behind point for four. Mooney then pounces on one on her pads, pickup-sweep shot for four behind square.

Sree Charani continues to keep things tidy, three singles in that over. Australia are taking no risks against her (even the boundaries that Mooney hit against Sree Charani were super calculated low-risk options).

Mooney has switched up a gear here. What a delightful shot in that Sree Charani over. Again using the feet, we barely saw this from India today. Gets to the pitch of the ball and drives is past cover and mid off. TEXTBOOK ELEGANCE!

Sutherland is the new batter in.

HALF CENTURY! Alyssa Healy is not just here to make up numbers in the name of her last series. She is a competitor as ever. Brings up a 69-ball half century in her final match at AB Field. And Mooney, next ball, dances down the ground and lofts Deepti for a straight six.

A rare loose delivery from Sree Charani in this spell and Healy latches on to it. Short ball, sits up nicely and the pull through midwicket was crisply timed. No stopping that. Mooney and Healy bring up their 50-run stand end of that over.

Kashvee Gautam into the attack now, replacing Deepti Sharma. The Aussie veterans would love pace here to work with you'd imagine.

And the boundary drought is over as Healy dances down the track and lofts one through cover. Kranti really should be doing better there after showing good speed across turf to get to the ball but almost dives over it.

The boundaries have dried up for Australia but there is very little scoreboard pressure at the moment, the required rate is hovering around a very manageable 4. This is the benefit of steady rotation of strike. Shafali Verma gets one over and it goes for five runs.

Time for drinks.

Couple of sweeps from Alyssa Healy in that Deepti over and both were uppish. But one goes well over square leg and the other goes away from a big dive from Jemimah Rodrigues at square leg.

There is definitely help here for spinners.

Deepti Sharma into the attack and it is a tidy 2-run over. Healy and Mooney in the middle, the two veterans of this lineup, and this partnership is critical. Australia have great depth but another wicket here could make it tricky.

AND TWO IN TWO! Sree Charani earned a lot of Australian respect during the two matches at the World Cup and she has struck twice in her first over now. Just a standard length delivery this one, Georgia Voll – who had two really good outings against India at this venue in December 2024 – just casually drives one to cover in the air. Mandhana dives forward and takes a lovely catch.

Georgia Voll c Smriti Mandhana b Sree Charani 0 (1 ball)

Australia cruising along at the moment. Couple of tight overs but nothing much else happening for India. Kashvee does get Healy to flick one uppishly through square leg but it falls short of Sree Charani.

Charani now comes into the attack. Can she get the extra bounce that all of Australia's spinners managed?

After a couple of really quiet overs from Renuka, mostly to Healy (she started this one with a peach to her as well that cut her in half), Litchfield decides to take charge. Fuller ball from Renuka, Litchfield opens the bat face superbly for a four past point.

Another tight over from Renuka.

Litchfield on the charge here at AB Field. A lofted drive over midwicket, kind of plugs in the outfield but trickles through to the rope. Another ball on Litchfield's pads later in the over, and these are easy pickings. Glanced for four.

JUST IN: Harmanpreet Kaur hasn't taken the field for this innings after injuring her left knee while batting, as per the broadcasters. Smriti Mandhana to lead the side, of course.

A good over from Renuka gets spoiled at the end as Litchfield goes hard at a cover drive with the angle and the resulting outside edge goes over the gully region. There were plenty of outside edges early for Mandhana but this wasn't tentative from Litchfield.

Delightful straight drive from Healy to get off the mark. We didn't see too many drives down the ground from India's batters, not for boundaries anyway but that right there is Australia's familiarity in these conditions.

So, India do manage to go past 200 on a pitch that had extra bounce for spinners and pacers alike. But under lights, if dew comes in, it could get easier to bat on.

And remember, Australia have never lost a women's ODI at Allan Border field.

Join us shortly for the run-chase.

KASHVEE! What a shot again. Goes across the stumps as Gardner floats one outside off, and nails a lofted slog sweep well over Sutherland at long on. That sounded so good off the bat! Third six of the match and third six for her. Takes a single off the fifth ball. and will be on strike for the next over as Renuka defends one off.

Kashvee nails another sweep, lofting over midwicket for a four. But unfortunately for India she is not able to get off strike the last ball. Sree Charani will be on strike.

Been a little gem from Kashvee, takes India past 200.

Kranti is just swinging for the hills... and repeatedly gets beaten on the outside edge. And then Kranti with nearly a repeat of *that* Harmanpreet Kaur run out. Just about survives. The bat got stuck on the crease line but her foot is deemed to be just in. She gets a single off the last ball, not sure that was the brightest over all around.

Shot of the day so far? That is superb from Kashvee Gautam against one of the premier bowlers in the women's game. Fuller from Schutt, Kashvee just swings through the line and clears the fielder at long on.

Mitch Starc sharing on commentary some insight received from Alyssa Healy. There had been dew in the evening during WNCL games here at AB Field it seems. Would make batting easier in the second half. Starc says that is why Healy was more than happy to bowl first after Harman won the toss.

Schutt comes back into the attack. And Australia continue to extract some extra bounce from good length. Harman goes for a wild slog off the last ball, the edge goes behind past short third for a streaky four.

DROPPED CATCH! Alana King nearly picks up another wicket with the last ball of her spell. After getting beaten by another ripper of a legspinner, Kashvee goes for another slog sweep but this one just gets the toe of the bat and goes to McGrath at mid off. She tracks back, gets both her hands to the ball but couldn't hold on.

Alana King finishes 1/43, a much better spell than those numbers indicate.

The back-of-the-length slower ball from Sutherland nearly bounces as high as Harmanpreet's shoulder! Another bouncer to finish the over, this one left alone by Kashvee. Sutherland is such a crafty bowler these days.

KASHVEE GAUTAM! What a shot that is. This time she nails a slog sweep off in front of midwicket for the first six of the day. Finishes the over with another superb sweep shot through square leg for her second four. Finally some boundary pressure being applied back on Australia's bowling after a long time.

AND ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST! She kept flirting with that shot, did Richa Ghosh. And this time the cut eventually cuts her innings short. Again, extra bounce, and this time the attempted cut finds the backward point fielder. Voll is placed there now and she dives forward to take a sharp catch.

Richa Ghosh c Georgia Voll b Sophie Molineux 23 (38 balls0

The Indian innings is going nowhere at the moment. Five dot balls in that Molineux over and Richa Ghosh nearly finds the fielders at midwicket and short fine with two loose defensive shots. Feels like something's gotta give at this point.

Some pace to work with now as Sutherland comes in.

31 balls since the last boundary, by the way. It was when Richa Ghosh had just come out to bat.

Turn, bounce... and nearly another wicket. Richa Ghosh goes for the square cut but is unable to control the shot. But Darcie Brown at baackward point is unable to get there even as she puts in a full length dive. There is definite help for bowlers on this pitch... for now. Can India somehow get past 220-230 and give their bowlers something to work with? This is the partnership to do it for them.

RICHA SURVIVES ON REVIEW: Sophie Molineux into the attack and this time an Indian batter is saved by the bounce. The left-arm spinner gets one to angle in and straighten and it strikes Richa on her elbow. And it is relief for her after being given out as the bounce takes the ball over the stumps according to ball tracking.

A LATE, LATE REVIEW: We saw this in the T20Is between Mooney and Molineux. This time too it looked like Australia weren't going to review but Healy goes for the call at the last possible second. Laughs everywhere. But the ball is pitching outside leg and we don't even get to see the bounce. Surely would have gone above the stumps. Healy is surprised but that is so marginal.

India have lost half the side at the halfway stage. Richa Ghosh is the new batter in and she gets going with an uppish but well-place drive past mid off for four. Kings gets one to turn sharply again pas Richa's outside edge and for four byes.

AND THE BIG FISH IS GONE! She looked in such control after the early struggles, and Smriti Mandhana's wicket comes out of the blue. Mishits an attempted sweep into the air and Tahlia McGrath provides Australia's biggest breakthrough yet. Not the greatest of deliveries, truth be told. It's an offcutter from around the wicket, could have been wide too if Mandhana let it go. But the ball does have a little bit of that extra bounce and the lack of pace throws Mandhana's balance off.

Smriti Mandhana c Alana King b Tahlia McGrath 58 (68 balls)

India content with rotating the strike for now. Smriti Mandhana continues to target the square region with her pulls. Have Australia perhaps missed the trick by not going fuller to her and see if that extra bounce could trouble her? She is comfortable with her backfoot game.

56-ball half century! Yet another ODI fifty for Smriti Mandhana, back-to-back on this tour after her match-winning knock in the third T20I. Was streaky at the start of the innings but has looked in control since she got used to the bounce of the pitch. Some wonderful strokes as ever.

Four singles from McGrath's first over. Another bowler who didn't feature in the T20Is.

Just three singles in that Gardner over as India look to reestablish some control after the drinks break.

And Australia turn to Alana King now. The tremendous legspinner who didn't play in the T20Is.

Sutherland continues and a replay of that peach she bowled in the previous over to Harmanpreet. It looked like a cutter, not a slower ball necessarily, but rolled her fingers across the seam. And as we see that, she beats Harmanpreet outside off again with a length ball twice. It's a brilliant maiden over. Terrific stuff from the pacer.

Oh, Sutherland with a terrific delivery. Length ball outside offstump, seams away after pitching, has extra bounce and beats Harmanpreet's outside edge. But the next ball is a rank full toss out of nowhere, Harmanpreet manages to square drive past point.

Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana are in the middle now and India need their two leaders to step up. And Mandhana looks to be in great touch at the moment after the streaky start. Two pull shots in front of square for a couple of doubles. And then swivels a bit more and pulls one behind square for another boundary. 8 runs in that over.

Terrific first over from Sutherland. Lovely channel outside offstump. Gets a couple to seam away and beats Jemimah on the outside edge. Just one run in that over.

Edgy start but the ball is now starting to ping off Smriti Mandhana's bat. Three glorious boundaries at the end of the first powerplay. two in this 10th over by Brown. Earlier in the over, a ferocious square drive and then to end the over, a well-timed pull shot.

OH DEAR! Mandhana gets lucky again! But this one, she slashed hard at, didn't prod at it. Flies over the slip region. All three of her and India's boundaries have come through that region.

Well, well. Jemimah Rodrigues, who batted at No 3 in the World Cup knockouts, is now slotted in at No 4 ahead of Harmanpreet Kaur.

screengrab: JioHotstar

Oh, a bouncer from Schutt. Not one of the more pacier bowlers in the game, known for her swing more than anything. But she surprises Shafali who was starting to duck underneath, then decided to go for a ramp, and ended up missing it.

Oh dear, another streaky boundary for Mandhana. It's that swing again and Mandhana once again goes for a half-hearted square punch, the outside edge once again falls between the wide second slip and gully fielders. Frustration for Australia and Schutt, who throws her head back.

Brown will continue with her first spell. She was really full to Shafali in the previous over.

The first shot in anger of this innings and it is Shafali of course, going for a pull shot but it is, fortunately for her, not well-timed because there is a fielder at deep square leg. Schutt gets another outside edge with the swing against Mandhana, and the ball squirts through to the vacant third region for a couple. A more confident square cut for single follows.

"She started her career without the gloves and she is going to end without them," Mitch Starc says when asked if there was a conversation between selectors and the retiring Aussie captain.

Meanwhile, a STREAKY four for Smriti Mandhana. She premeditated the Schutt swing in that entire over to move across the stumps. One ball bounces a bit more from good length, Smriti goes for the cut but manages to "place" the outside edge between the second slip and gully fielders.

Nervy, nervy start for India.

Mitch Starc on commentary for Alyssa Healy's farewell series.

Darcie Brown from the other end.

EARLY BREAKTHROUGH! Story of contrasting returns. Megan Schutt, drafted into the ODI squad late, strikes in her first over. Pratika Rawal, brought back into the ODI XI right away, is out for a second-ball duck. Signifcant inward movement as always from Schutt and Pratika is caught on the crease. Thought it might be bouncing a bit high but it is all three REDS. Early blow for Pratika and India.

Pratika Rawal lbw b Megan Schutt 0 (2 balls)

Here's India's XI via BCCI

The Indian team will have a star on their jersey from today... for their World Cup triumph.

Speaking a day before this ODI series, Healy spoke of the challenge that India present.

"India's playing some really good cricket, we're being really challenged at the moment, and they're full of confidence, and as they should be, they're playing really well," Healy said on Monday (cricket.com.au). "They've got a big trophy in their cabinet that they're really proud of and have got every right to come out here and play the way that they have. "It's now a challenge for us to bounce back and throw the next punch in this format and say that this is our turf, these are our conditions, and this is the way that we play this ODI format. "We know they're a talented side. They are the world champs, and probably for the first time for a little while it's an opportunity for us to come hard at them."

Australia will be boosted by the return of Alyssa Healy, the captain who is playing her final few internationals. She had announced her retirement a while back at the end of this series, which will culminate with the one-off Test in Perth.

One of Australia’s greatest match-winners and an eight-time World Cup winner, Healy said the last few months have become mentally draining as she had to deal with injuries, and with her deciding not to play the upcoming T20 World Cup in England later this year, she has taken the call to sign off after one of the ‘biggest series’ for Australia.

“I wanted to save it for the podcast because this has been the most enjoyable little side hustle that I’ve been a part of over the last little period. Officially, coming out today that you hear this, I am actually retiring from cricket at the end of the Indian series. Please don’t make me cry. Not an easy decision, but had to be made at some point,” Healy said on WillowTalk Cricket Podcast.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of the series opener on Tuesday, head coach Amol Muzumdar said. "I mean, absolutely. That's what players play for. The coaching staff is there to coach the players. That's what we aim for. To be the world champions. This is the first series post after the World Cup victory. It's a very important one. No better place than to come to Australia and play on these grounds. We are looking forward to this ODI series."

(via ANI)

Australia Women: Alyssa Healy (wk/c), Georgia Voll, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Georgia Wareham, Sophie Molineux, Annabel Sutherland, Alana King, Kim Garth, Phoebe Litchfield, Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey.

India Women: Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Kranti Gaud, Shree Charani, Renuka Singh Thakur, Shafali Verma, Kashvee Gautam, Amanjot Kaur, Uma Chetry (wk), Vaishnavi Sharma.