Australia blows cricket world away with record chase against India

Australia has shown its class after making a staggering run chase look effortless in the First ODI against India.

Australia showed its class with a record run chase victory against India at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday morning.

Ellyse Perry and Phoebe Litchfield were a nightmare for India’s bowlers as the pair established a match-winning partnership of 148 as Australia powered towards India’s score of 8/282 in the First ODI.

Australia cruised to the total with 21 balls to spare, pulling off the second biggest run chase in women’s ODI history with six wickets to spare.

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Litchfield was named player of the match after top-scoring with 78 runs from 89 deliveries in an innings that included eight fours and one six.

Tahlia McGrath and Ashleigh Gardner hit the winning runs. Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images.

Ashleigh Gardner of Australia celebrates the wicket of Jemimah Rodrigues. Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images.

Perry also finished with 75 runs from 72 balls before Beth Mooney (42) and Tahlia McGrath (68 not out) guided Australia home.

It looked like Australia was in trouble when captain Alyssa Healy was dismissed for a duck in the first over of the chase.

But from there it was al one-way traffic.

Back to their best format and back to their winning ways. Impressive on a number of fronts. Phoebe Litchfield with another POM award off her 78(89). #IndvAushttps://t.co/KzvZ62XVVS

— Mel Jones (@meljones_33) December 28, 2023

India had earlier appeared to be in control at 5/179 with 14 overs to spare, but Australia’s bowlers were able to conjure a steady flow of wickets in the final overs of India’s innings.

Jemimah Rodrigues blasted 82 from 77 balls for the home side, while Ashleigh Gardner and Georgia Wareham both picked up two wickets.

The match was exactly what the Aussie team wanted as it prepares for next year’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September.

The tournament will come 12 months before another ODI World Cup in India, with Australia determined to learn from the conditions during this series to prepare its defence of both titles.

Australia will play two more ODI games at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium before a short trip east to Navi for three T20s at the DY Patil Sports Stadium to complete the tour.

Originally published as Australia blows cricket world away with record chase against India