Hobart, Australia – Australia defeated India by five wickets in the second One Day International (ODI) at Blundstone Arena on Wednesday, securing the series with one match remaining. Georgia Voll’s second international century propelled the hosts to victory, despite a challenging innings from India’s Harmanpreet Kaur.
The match saw Australia successfully chase a target of 252, finishing at 252-5 in 36.1 overs. Voll’s innings of 101 runs off 82 balls, punctuated by 13 fours and a six, proved decisive. She received strong support from Phoebe Litchfield, who contributed 80 runs off 62 balls, establishing a crucial 119-run partnership for the second wicket after Alyssa Healy’s early dismissal.
India’s bowlers struggled to contain the Australian batting lineup. Kashvee Gautam managed to capture two wickets, dismissing Healy and later Voll, but conceded runs at a significant rate. Deepti Sharma similarly secured two wickets, removing Beth Mooney and Annabel Sutherland, but the momentum had already shifted firmly in Australia’s favour.
Earlier in the day, India posted a total of 251-9 in their 50 overs. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur anchored the innings with a determined 54 off 70 balls, while Pratika Rawal contributed 52 runs. However, a mid-innings collapse saw India lose four wickets for just 36 runs, hindering their ability to build a substantial total. Australian bowlers Gardner and Sutherland both claimed two wickets each, effectively stifling India’s scoring rate.
The victory marks a significant milestone for Australia, securing the ODI series with a game to spare. It also represents the final ODI series under the captaincy of Alyssa Healy, who is set to retire from the format. The multi-format series now stands at 6-4 in favour of Australia, setting the stage for a crucial final ODI on Sunday, also in Hobart, before the teams move to Perth for a Test match.
Despite the loss, India will be looking to level the series in the final ODI, hoping to regain momentum before the upcoming Test match. The team will need to address the issues that led to their batting collapse and improve their fielding, as evidenced by the dropped catches that aided Voll in reaching her century – she was dropped on 19 by Kranti Gaud and 53 by Smriti Mandhana and benefitted from a fumble by wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh when on 99.
