Xtra Time Web Desk: The Indian women’s cricket team was totally outplayed by Australian women by 9 wickets in the first ODI at the Harrup Park in Mackay. Batting first Mithali Raj and her team managed to score a moderate 225/8. The home side successfully chased the target with 9 overs to spare. Aussie openers Alyssa Healy 77(77) and Rachael Haynes (93 not out of 100 balls) gave the side a solid opening stand, scoring 126 runs. Healy was the aggressive among the two, hitting 8 fours and two sixes. Haynes was joined by Aussie skipper Meg Lanning (53* off 69) as they shared an unbeaten partnership of 101 runs to take the team home.
Earlier India scored 225/8. Captain Mithali Raj scored 61 off 107. It was her fifth consecutive fifty (59th overall in career). In doing so Mithali reached the milestone of 20000 runs in international cricket. She is already the highest scorer in women’s international cricket across three formats of the game. The 38 year old maintained her No 1 spot in ODI rankings with 762 points. India opener Smriti Mandhana was placed seventh.
The Indian innings did not get any momentum until the eighth wicket partnership between debutant Richa Ghosh (32 not off 24 balls) and Jhulan Goswami (20 off 24) which yielded 45 runs. Another debutant Yashika Bhatia scored 35 off 51. Darcie Brown was the wrecker in chief for the Aussies.
India fielded three debutants in Yashika, Richa and Mansi Singh. Harmanpreet Kaur did not play the game due to a thumb injury