Women's 1st ODI: India Women Suffer Crushing Six-Wicket Defeat Against Australia

India Women succumbed to their sixth consecutive defeat and eighth in a row at home despite recording the highest-ever ODI total against Australia, as the visitors registered a commanding six-wicket win in the first match in Mumbai on Thursday. Phoebe Litchfield (78) and Ellyse Perry (75) anchored the chase with a resolute 148-run stand for the second wicket as Australia replied with 285/4 in 46.3 overs to overhaul India's 282/8 and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

As Phoebe and Ellyse fell in quick succession, Beth Mooney (42 from 47 balls, 4x4s) and Tahlia McGrath (68 not out, 55 balls, 11x4s) flattened India with their 88-run stand for the fourth wicket off only 67 balls.

Australia got over the line with 21 balls and six wickets to spare with none of the Indian bowlers able to make any impact.

India made a perfect start by dealing an early blow to Australia, who lost Alyssa Healy (0) in the first over when Sneh Rana flew to her left to take an acrobatic catch off Renuka Thakur.

But India could not capitalise further on the initial success as Australia ran away with the game, aided by some ordinary effort in the field from the hosts.

For that matter, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur's 'golden' arm could also not come to the rescue of the side on a placid wicket as she conceded 32 runs in three overs without a wicket.

Ellyse notched up her fifth fifty against India and 33rd overall while Phoebe bounced back strongly from a poor outing in her one-off Test last week to flay the Indian attack.

Ellyse and Phoebe's 148-run association is now the third highest second-wicket partnership against India in ODIs.

But both the batters only had themselves to blame for their respective dismissals.

After clobbering nine fours and