By Ivashree
For years, Australia has been the towering force in women’s cricket, a team that rarely bends. But on a sunlit afternoon in Mullanpur, India, flipped the emotions. With a crackling century from Smriti Mandhana and an all-round display of grit, India handed Australia their heaviest defeat in ODI history, a 102-run thrashing that will be remembered as much for its symbolism as for its scorecard.
Mandhana was the heartbeat of the innings. Timing her strokes with a mix of elegance and aggression, she raced to her 12th ODI century in just 77 balls, her fastest ever in the format. She struck 12 fours and one six on her way to 117 off 127 balls, becoming only the second Indian woman after Mithali Raj to cross 3,000 ODI runs. Each boundary drew roars from the stands, where more than 12,000 fans turned out, a testament to how women’s cricket is beginning to carve its own loyal following in India. When she raised her bat, there was a sense that this wasn’t just another knock. It was a statement that India’s women can dominate the best in the world.
“I wanted to stay positive and put the bowlers under pressure,” Mandhana said after the match. “Against Australia, you can’t let them dictate. This win means a lot to us as a team.”
What made the win sweeter was the context. Coming into the match, India had lost eight consecutive ODIs to Australia, often by margins that underlined the gulf in consistency. Australia had beaten India in 43 of their previous 50 ODIs. This time, the hosts controlled the tempo from ball one, posting 325 for 3, India’s highest ever total against Australia and their third-highest in ODIs overall.
The bowlers backed Mandhana’s fireworks with discipline. Deepti Sharma was the pick of the attack with 3 for 37, while Pooja Vastrakar struck twice in quick succession. Australia, chasing 326, folded for 223 in 41.3 overs. Their top scorer, Phoebe Litchfield made 46, but no batter crossed fifty.
“Our plan was to keep things simple and bow to our fields,” Deepti explained. “Smriti gave us the momentum, and we didn’t want to let that slip.”