Australia’s women asserted supremacy with a 5-wicket victory in the second ODI, putting the series beyond India’s reach at 2-0. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur was forthright in her assessment, slamming the batting display as the primary culprit behind the collapse in Hobart.
Toss victory brought optimism; India targeted 300-plus on a pitch showing more life. Reality hit hard though, with frequent wicket losses derailing the innings to 251/9 from 50 overs. Harmanpreet anchored with 54 off 70, marking back-to-back fifties, while Rawal’s 52 off 81 was the other bright spot alongside Mandhana (31) and Gautam (25).
Post-match, the skipper dissected the flaws: ‘We didn’t bat well at all. We aimed for over 300 since the conditions favored it, but repeating old mistakes with cluster wickets prevented a big total.’ Australia’s bowlers capitalized, Sutherland grabbing 2/37 and King 2/41.
The chase was a breeze for the hosts. Voll blazed to 101, partnering Litchfield’s 80 in a 119-run stand that broke the back of the pursuit. With Mooney’s 31 and Gardner unbeaten on 19, victory came in 36.1 overs.
Harmanpreet remains hopeful for the finale on March 1. ‘Good batting is essential to compete,’ she said. ‘Poor performances in these two games hurt us, but I trust my players to respond with greater responsibility.’
This series loss underscores India’s batting vulnerabilities against top-tier opposition, setting the stage for introspection.