Australia pulled off the Highest Women’s ODI Chase of 331 as captain Alyssa Healy’s brilliant 142 powered them to a historic win over India in Visakhapatnam. The home fans were left stunned as the World Cup hosts suffered their second straight defeat, with Australia sealing victory by three wickets and six balls remaining.
Just two nights earlier, India had failed to defend 252 against South Africa, and this time their bowling choices again drew criticism. Opting for only five specialist bowlers backfired as Australia completed the Highest Women’s ODI Chase of 331, finishing on 331 for 7. Ellyse Perry, despite battling cramps, returned to the crease to finish unbeaten on 47, hitting the winning boundary off Sneh Rana to seal a record win.
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Healy Leads from the Front in Highest Women’s ODI Chase of 331
Australia’s pursuit of the Highest Women’s ODI Chase of 331 began steadily, scoring 25 in the first five overs before switching gears. Alyssa Healy and Phoebe Litchfield added 85 runs for the opening wicket off just 11.2 overs, setting the tone early. Healy dominated India’s bowlers with fearless sweeps and powerful drives, while Litchfield fell for 30 trying a reverse sweep off N Shree Charani.
Healy’s innings was one of the finest in World Cup history. She reached her century off just 84 balls, hitting 21 fours and three sixes in a sensational display. Despite struggling with cramps, she carried on to lead the Highest Women’s ODI Chase of 331 almost single-handedly. Her dismissal after scoring 142 gave India a glimmer of hope, but Perry’s calm return settled any nerves in the final overs.
Ellyse Perry and Kim Garth then added a crucial unbeaten stand of 28 runs to complete the Highest Women’s ODI Chase of 331. Garth’s smart reverse paddle for four in the 49th over sealed the deal, showcasing Australia’s depth and confidence under pressure.
India’s bowlers struggled throughout the chase. N Shree Charani stood out with 3 for 41, but others like Kranti Gaud and Sneh Rana went for plenty. With few bowling options, captain Harmanpreet Kaur had little room to experiment on a batting-friendly pitch, which allowed Australia to dominate and achieve the Highest Women’s ODI Chase of 331.
India’s Missed Opportunity After Bright Start
India began brilliantly with Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal putting on a 155-run opening stand, their second-highest partnership in World Cup history. Mandhana’s fluent 80 saw her become the first woman to score 1000 ODI runs in a calendar year and the fastest to 5000 runs in the format. Alongside Rawal’s patient 75, India looked well on course for a massive total that could have challenged even the Highest Women’s ODI Chase of 331.
But from 192 for 1, India’s innings fell apart. They collapsed to 330 all out, losing nine wickets for just 138 runs. Annabel Sutherland’s clever variations brought her a maiden ODI five-wicket haul (5 for 61), stopping India from setting an even higher target.
Harleen Deol (38), Jemimah Rodrigues (33), and Harmanpreet Kaur (22) got starts but couldn’t convert them into big scores. Richa Ghosh, who had saved India against South Africa earlier, fell cheaply this time, triggering the collapse that left India short of defending against the Highest Women’s ODI Chase of 331.
Australia’s performance underlined their dominance once again. The Highest Women’s ODI Chase of 331 will go down as a landmark in women’s cricket, a chase built on Healy’s fearless stroke play and Perry’s calm assurance.
For India, it was another painful reminder of missed opportunities. Despite their attacking start and improved intent, their inconsistency with the bat and limited bowling depth cost them dearly. With England next in Indore, India must regroup quickly to keep their World Cup hopes alive after conceding the Highest Women’s ODI Chase of 331.
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