Heartbreak in Brisbane as Australia’s women chased down 215 for a six-wicket victory in the first ODI, finishing the job in a mere 38.2 overs.
Smriti Mandhana, acting captain amid Harmanpreet Kaur’s knee knock, lamented the batting meltdown and pitch inconsistencies. ‘Quick loss of wickets early disrupted us. The surface didn’t behave as expected despite our fightback,’ she shared.
Kaur’s 53 ended prematurely due to injury; she skipped fielding duties. Mandhana awaits updates but expects a speedy recovery.
Resisting calls for squad tweaks, Mandhana stood ground: ‘One poor day doesn’t define us. No changes incoming.’
Toss winners India batted first, all out for 214. Mandhana led with 58, backed by Kaur’s 53 (84 balls), Gautam’s 43, and Ghosh’s 23.
Australia’s Mooney smashed 76 off 79, Healy notched 50 off 70, steering an unchallenged pursuit.
‘Our batting order crumbled against their attack,’ Mandhana analyzed. ‘We must unite to pile up runs effectively.’
Pressure mounts on India, but Mandhana’s resolve hints at a fierce response in the series.