Australia women sweep series as the Litchfield-Healy duo has a smashing day at the office

Australia clinch ODI series 3-0 with 190 run win over India, led by Phoebe Litchfield's 2nd ODI hundred.

In sport, Australians are always in it to win it, whether it’s a decider or a dead rubber. Annabel Sutherland echoed this sentiment in her clarion call to go for the 3-0 sweep ahead of the third and final ODI between India and Australia. Her team did just that, beating the host by a massive 190 runs at the Wankhede Stadium here on Tuesday.

The Aussie juggernaut was led by a young and unassuming Phoebe Litchfield. After finishing 2023 as the second-highest run scorer in women’s ODIs (485 runs), the 20-year-old rang in the new year with her second ODI hundred. Litchfield vindicated Healy’s decision to bat first, putting on a 189-run opening partnership, the highest for Australia against India in women’s ODIs. The Indian response eventually fell short of this stand alone by 41 runs.

Pooja Vastrakar ripped into Healy’s stumps in the 29th over, with the Aussie captain missing out on a century by 18 runs. Ellyse Perry couldn’t add to her half century haul, caught leg before by Amanjot Kaur for 16.

Shreyanka Patil impressed with her tight lines and control, dismissing Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath off consecutive deliveries. Litchfield carried on, employing her trademark reverse sweep with elan as she scored the season’s highest score including 16 boundaries and one six.

Healy’s dismissal triggered a dip in the scoring rate. After a few nervy moments in the 90s where she saw partners fall at the other end, Litchfield brought up her century with a smooth nudge down the ground for four.

Cameos from Ashleigh Gardner and Annabel Sutherland and another explosive late flourish from Alana King helped Australia to its highest total against India in the format.

Megan Schutt snuffed out momentum from the Indian innings early on, removing openers Yastika Bhatia and Smriti Mandhana cheaply. The host stuck to its decision to send Richa Ghosh at three, however the keeper-batter never settled into the chase.