Smriti Mandhana's heroics couldn't trump Beth Mooney's masterclass as Australia reinforced their dominance over India with a 43-run victory in the third women's ODI, clinching their 11th bilateral series against the hosts, here on Saturday.
Mooney's blistering 138 off 79 balls powered Australia to their joint-highest ODI total of 412 all out. It was also Australia's highest-ever total against India, surpassing their 371/8 in Brisbane last year.
The Australian bowlers then held their nerve, weathering a 121-run stand between Mandhana (125 off 63 balls) and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (52 off 35 balls), and a late onslaught by Deepti Sharma (72 off 58 balls) to bowl out India for 369 and preserve their 100 per cent series win record by taking the three-match contest 2-1.
Had India succeeded, they would have eclipsed the world record for the highest successful run chase which is currently held by Sri Lanka, who chased down 302 against South Africa in Potchefstroom in 2024.
On a day when boundaries flowed freely, India conceded a staggering 60 fours and five sixes. In contrast, Australia allowed 39 fours and seven sixes in their defence, a gulf that ultimately proved decisive.
India's fielding unit also floundered yet again with dropped chances and misfields, punctuated only by occasional flashes of brilliance like Deepti's one-handed return catch to get rid of Grace Harris.
Chasing a daunting 413, Mandhana blended elegance with belligerence to continue her dazzling form. Her second consecutive century, a 50-ball masterclass was the fastest by an Indian in ODIs, eclipsing her own mark of 70 balls. She hit five sixes.
Partnering with Harmanpreet, she kept the run rate well above par as the duo raced along at ten an over.
After early dismissals of Pratika Rawal (10) and Harleen Deol (11), Mandhana, who was dropped on 53, and Harmanpreet steadied India with a smart mix of singles and boundaries.
Their partnership silenced Australia's attack and kept the Kotla crowd buzzing. But momentum shifted in the 20th over when Harmanpreet, after taking a medical break, fell lbw in the very next ball.
An over later, Mandhana miscued a lofted stroke to deep backward square, plunging the stadium into silence.
With the two gone, Deepti hit five boundaries and a couple of sixes to keep the chase alive but with wickets kept tumbling, India were unable to cross the line.
Earlier, Mooney matched the searing Delhi heat with a dazzling innings.
If Mooney's whirlwind knock, her highest score in ODIs, lit up the middle overs, young opener Georgia Voll (81), Ellyse Perry (68) and skipper Alyssa Healy (30) provided the early fireworks after electing to bat first.
India's bowling attack looked toothless on a flat Kotla track.
Healy, searching for her first big knock of the series, came out all guns blazing, smashing new-ball bowlers Renuka Thakur and Kranti Goud for seven boundaries before falling to the latter, who dismissed her for the third time in as many games.
Voll and Perry then consolidated with a 107-run stand, punishing India's inconsistent lengths. Eventually, Sneh Rana produced the breakthrough with an off-break spinning down leg which Voll went to sweep only to edge it to short fine.
But if India expected relief, Mooney ensured none came. The left-hander swept, cut and lofted with authority, dismantling the spinners and pacers alike as she hit 23 fours and a six to put Australia in a commanding position.
Seasoned off-spinner Deepti Sharma, however, produced a fascinating 45th over, triggering a mini-collapse with three wickets, including Mooney's dismissal via a run out.
India made inroads at the fag end, but the damage had already been done.
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
