INDW vs AUSW, 3rd ODI 2021: Yastika Bhatia and Shafali Verma played knocks of 64 and 56, respectively as India defeated Australia by two wickets in the third and final ODI here at the Harrup Park on Sunday.
With this defeat, Australia's unbeaten 26-match streak in ODI cricket came to an end. However, the hosts won the three-match ODI series by 2-1.
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Chasing 265, India got off to a steady start as opening batters Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma put on 59 runs for the opening wicket. However, the stand did not last long as Ashleigh Gardner dismissed Mandhana (22) in the 11th over. Yastika Bhatia next joined Shafali in the middle and the duo did not let the momentum drop for the visitors.
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Yastika Bhatia was the aggressor of the two, while Shafali Verma played the second fiddle. Both batters brought up their respective half-centuries as India was poised well in their chase at 153/1 by the end of the 28th over. A 101-run stand for the second wicket came to an end in the 30th over as Sophie Molineux bowled Shafali (56).
Richa Ghosh (0) and Bhatia (64) fell shortly after and India was reduced to 180/4, still needing 85 runs to win from 96 balls. Mithali Raj (16) and Pooja Vastrakar (3) departed in quick succession, and the hopes of India's victory rested on Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana's shoulders.
Deepti was sent back to the pavilion after playing a knock of 31 runs, but Sneh Rana kept India in the game. However, the right-hander was dismissed in the penultimate over after playing a knock of 30 runs and India needed 4 runs from the final over to register a win. Jhulan Goswami (8*) showed her experience to finally take the visitors over the line.
INDW vs AUSW, 3rd ODI 2021: Brief Scores
Australia 264/9 (Ashleigh Gardner 67, Beth Mooney 52; Jhulan Goswami 3-37) vs India 266/8 (Yastika Bhatia 64, Shafali Verma 56, Annabel Sutherland 3-30). (ANI)
-PTC News
