IND W vs AUS W: Ghosh's 96, Deepti's 5/38 in vain as Australia win the thriller

Richa Ghosh's career-best 96 and Deepti Sharma's 5/38 went in vain as Australia Women registered a thrilling three-run win to take an unassailable 2-0 lead against India in their three-match ODI series here on Saturday.

Chasing 259, Ghosh led India's reply with a fine 117-ball 96 with 13 fours, but the hosts stuttered in the death overs and suffered their ninth successive defeat at home to Australia.

India reached 255/8 in their 50 overs with Deepti (24 not out, 36 balls, 1x4s) and Shreyanka Patil (5 not out) at the crease as the match came to an end.

Apart from Ghosh's exploits with the bat, India also had their vice-captain Smriti Mandhana provide early fireworks with a 38-ball 34 (3x4s, 1x6s).

Jemimah Rodrigues (44 off 55 balls) and Ghosh laid the foundation with an 88-run third wicket stand but could not deny Australia maintaining their record in India by never losing a series.

In a match where both teams dropped more than 10 catches between them, Litchfield eventually made the difference with two sharp catches after dropping one early on, which followed a fine knock of 63 in the first innings, making them the highest scored for her team.

Positioned at cover, Litchfield helped break the third-wicket tie to dismiss Rodrigues from Georgia Wareham (2/39) at a crucial moment in the 34th over.

Later, with Ghosh one stroke away from her first ton, Litchfield pulled off another great grab from cover on Annabel Sutherland (3/47) to deny her this feat and effectively a victory for India.

After retaining all 50 overs of Australia's first innings, the 20-year-old Ghosh batted with enthusiasm and tremendous effort, with her astonishing knock hitting all parts of the ground.

Ghosh also benefited from two lifelines, one of which she got on the first delivery itself as Litchfield took a difficult chance at first slip soon after Yastika Bhatia (19) was dismissed.

Ghosh kept India in the hunt with her partnership with Rodrigues, but Australia benefited after finding a breakthrough. India's hopes took a serious hit when Ghosh, who suffered cramp in the later stages of her innings, fell in the 44th over and Amanjot Kaur (4) in the 46th.

Failing to get a move-on, Deepti had contributed just eight runs in her 47-run stand with Ghosh. The task became even more challenging for the likes of Pooja Vastrakar (8) and concussion substitute Harleen Deol (1), who replaced Sneh Rana for the remainder of the match in the second half.

Earlier, off-spinner Deepti Sharma hampered Australia's surge with a superb five-wicket haul, but seven missed catches by India allowed them to post a challenging 258 for eight.

Deepti made excellent use of a dry and turning surface to return with figures of five for 38, but her hard work was undone by the hosts' terrible fielding.

She was responsible for Ellyse Perry (50), Beth Mooney (10), Tahlia McGrath (24), Georgia Wareham (22) and Annabel Sutherland (23) for the second five-for of her career.

Alana King, who was dropped once each by Deepti and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, hit three sixes to make an unbeaten 28 (17 balls) in a late flurry and took Australia past the 250-run mark, which at one point seemed beyond the visitors.

Australia looked in complete control until the 22nd over, going to 117 for one through a 77-run stand for the second wicket between Perry and Litchfield (63, 98 balls, 6x4s).

First print: December 31, 2023 | 12:01 am IST