Brisbane [Australia], : The Indian Women’s Cricket Team has been fined 10 per cent of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate during the second ODI of their ICC Women’s Championship series against Australia.
The match, held in Brisbane, saw Australia post a record total of 371/8, their highest-ever score against India. In response, India could only manage 249, losing the game by 122 runs.
India were found guilty under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which pertains to minimum over-rate offences. Players are fined five per cent of their match fee for each over their side fails to bowl within the allotted time.
The charges were levelled by on-field umpires Claire Polosak and Donovan Koch, third umpire Jacqueline Williams, and fourth umpire David Taylor. India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, negating the need for a formal hearing.
Australia clinched the three-match ODI series 3-0.
In the third and final match of the series, Ashleigh Gardner made history as the first Australian player male or female to achieve a five-wicket haul in all formats of the game. Her performance helped Australia secure a series sweep over India in Perth.
Smriti Mandhana’s counter-attacking century, her ninth in ODIs, offered India a glimmer of hope. However, Gardner’s remarkable spell of 5/30 dismantled India’s chase, resulting in an 83-run victory for the reigning world champions.
India appeared on track to overhaul the target at 189/3, but Gardner’s spell triggered a dramatic collapse, bundling out the visitors for 215. This was Gardner’s maiden five-wicket haul in ODI cricket, adding to her previous feats in Test cricket and T20Is .
Earlier in the match, Australia faced early trouble after a stellar spell from Arundhati Reddy, which left the home side struggling at 78/4. This came after a strong start from Phoebe Litchfield and Georgia Voll.
Sutherland and Gardner then orchestrated a remarkable recovery, adding 96 runs for the fifth wicket. Gardner reached her sixth ODI half-century before falling to Deepti Sharma. Her efforts, combined with Tahlia McGrath’s unbeaten 56, helped Australia post a formidable total of 298/6.
Sutherland was the standout performer with the bat, crafting a composed 110 off 95 balls, featuring nine fours and four sixes. Alongside Tahlia McGrath, the 23-year-old built a crucial 122-run partnership for the sixth wicket, ensuring Australia’s clean sweep of the series.
With this victory, Australia solidified their position at the top of the ICC Women’s Championship standings, amassing 34 points. They will now face New Zealand in their final three matches of the ongoing cycle, looking poised to secure their third consecutive title.
India remains third in the standings, with six ODIs left to play three each against West Indies and Ireland. To claim their maiden ICC Women’s Championship title, India must win most of their remaining matches and hope for favourable results in other fixtures.
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