Indian Women’s Cricket Team Stuns Australia with 102-Run Victory in Mumbai Thriller
Mandhana’s Century Powers Series Leveler as Hosts Eye World Cup Momentum
NewsArc Bureau
Mumbai, September 17, 2025: The Indian women’s cricket team delivered a commanding 102-run triumph over Australia in the second ODI at the Wankhede Stadium today, leveling the three-match series at 1-1 and sending a resounding message ahead of the upcoming Women’s World Cup. Skipper Smriti Mandhana’s scintillating century anchored a formidable 292-run total, which the visitors crumbled against, bowled out for 190 in 40.5 overs.
Opting to bat first after losing the toss, India showcased aggressive intent from the outset. Mandhana, in sublime form, crafted a fluent 117 off 91 balls, her 12th ODI hundred, blending 14 boundaries with four towering sixes. Supported by contributions from Deepti Sharma (40), Richa Ghosh (29), and Sneh Rana (24), India posted a challenging total despite a late collapse, losing their last six wickets for 53 runs. Australia’s bowlers, led by Darcie Brown (3/42) and Ashleigh Gardner (2/39), fought back but couldn’t stem the flow.
The chase began disastrously for Australia, reduced to 25/2 in the powerplay as Kranti Goud and Renuka Singh Thakur struck early. Ellyse Perry (44) and Annabel Sutherland (45) mounted a brief resistance, but once Perry fell to a sharp return catch by Radha Yadav and Sutherland departed to Arundhati Reddy, the innings unraveled. Goud’s impressive 3/28 and Deepti’s 2/24 sealed a comprehensive victory, ending Australia’s 13-match ODI winning streak and marking India’s first home win against them since 2007.
Mandhana, named Player of the Match, credited the team’s strategy of capitalizing on field restrictions and praised the bowlers’ discipline. “We aimed to score those extra runs against a strong side like Australia, and the flat wicket allowed us to be aggressive,” she said, reflecting on her 12th hundred in a winning cause. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur hailed the collective effort, noting the significance of the result as World Cup preparations intensify.
For Australia, the defeat—their largest by runs in ODIs—exposed vulnerabilities ahead of the decider on September 20 in Delhi. The series now hangs in the balance, with both teams vying to fine-tune their game plans for the global tournament starting September 30. Today’s triumph not only boosts India’s confidence but also rekindles hopes of reclaiming dominance on home soil.
