Australia beat India by 185 runs at Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Sunday, March 1 to complete the Women’s ODI series 3-0. The match was particularly memorable for Alyssa Healy, who announced her ODI retirement in spectacular fashion, producing a brilliant 79-ball century.
Healy’s masterful innings ensured she could look back on her final limited-overs appearance in Australian colors with pride and satisfaction.
The series turned out to be a nightmare for India. Ever since the world champions’ triumph last year, including a historic semi-final victory over Australia in Navi Mumbai, expectations have been high for the Indian team.
Australia vs India 3rd ODI Update
However, they were found wanting in Hobart, unable to counter Healy’s dominance. The Indian batsmen were restricted and eventually bowled out for 224 in 45.1 overs, leaving them completely helpless against a relentless Australian attack.
With the win, Australia extended their lead to 8–4 in the multi-format series, with the Perth Test starting on 6 March at the WACA in Perth.
HELLO MOONEY STOP INDIA
Healy bowed out of ODIs with one of the most dominant innings in women’s cricket to destroy India’s bowling attack. She scored a majestic 158 off 98 balls at a strike rate of 161.22, including 27 fours and two sixes. The knock guided Australia to a mammoth 409 for 7 in 50 overs, the highest women’s ODI total on Australian soil.
From the moment she reached the crease, greeted by a guard of honor from the Indian team, Healy looked in complete control. She first built a 104-run partnership with Georgia Voll, who scored 62 off 52 balls, before joining forces with Beth Mooney for 145 runs for the third wicket.
While Healy dominated the strike, Mooney also produced a sensational century, remaining unbeaten on 106 off 84 balls. Annabel Sutherland contributed a quickfire 23 and Nicola Carey finished unbeaten on 34 off 15 to help Australia maintain a relentless run rate of 8.18.
Healy’s innings combined technical mastery with aggressive intent. She punished loose deliveries from Shree Charani and Sneh Rana, including hitting Charani for multiple boundaries and a six in one.
Despite the runs conceded, both Charani and Rana took wickets, with Charani bagging the wickets the most expensive spell by an Indian spinner in ODI history. Healy’s fearless hitting game ended only when Rana threw her full on an attempted reverse dump.
Deepti Sharma also had a day to forget after conceding 90 runs in her quota of 10 overs. It was Deepti who broke Yuzvendra Chahal’s record for the most expensive spinner for India in ODIs before Charani surpassed her.
INDIA CRUSH UNDER PRESSURE
The Indian chase in Hobart turned into a nightmare from the very start. Smriti Mandhana, who has been in excellent form across formats, was dismissed without scoring, leaving India reeling at 8 for 1 in just 1.4 overs. Pratika Rawal and Jemimah Rodrigues tried to steady the innings and put on a 54-run partnership but both fell after the start – Rawal for 27 off 21 balls and Rodrigues for 42 off 29.
Harmanpreet Kaur, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh got off to a good start with scores of 25, 14, 29 and 18 respectively, but none of them could convert them into substantial contributions. Kashvee Gautam also fell cheaply for a duck, complicating India’s struggles.
By the time the eighth wicket fell on 198, the match was effectively over, despite a 63-run partnership between Sneh Rana and Deepti Sharma, with Rana scoring 44 off 74, including six boundaries, in a valiant but futile effort to delay the inevitable.
Alana King led the Australian attack with devastating figures of 10-1-33-4, while Georgia Wareham and Ashleigh Gardner claimed key wickets. Even Alyssa Healy rolled her arm in fatal operations and enjoyed her final ODI appearance.
India’s top and middle order could not withstand the relentless pressure and the lower order could not accelerate the scoring as needed. The poor batting was exposed during the innings as Australia’s bowlers combined pace, spin and accuracy to produce a comprehensive 200-run defeat to wrap up the series.
– The end
Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
March 1, 2026 5:31 PM IST
