India captain Harmanpreet Kaur said her side was 20-30 runs short of what would have been a winning score in the first ODI of the three-match series against Australia in Punjab on Sunday (September 14, 2025).

Harmanpreet said after posting a decent 281 for seven after opting to bat, the hosts failed to cash in on the opportunities that came their way since they dropped four catches in all.

Chasing 282, Australia rode on rode on Phoebe Litchfield’s 80-ball 88 and Beth Mooney’s unbeaten 74-ball 77 to complete the task in 44.1 overs on a day when the Indians left a lot to be desired with their fielding.

Annabel Sutherland also chipped in with an unbeaten 54 in 51 balls.

“We were 20-30 runs short. Our bowlers were trying to create opportunities but we were not able to capitalise on those opportunities. They played really good cricket. They played better than us, but (the) next game is important; we want to stay positive and look forward to the next game,” Harmanpreet said after the match.

The India skipper said her decision was not wrong as the pitch played true in both the innings.

“Both the innings, the pitch played better only. That is why we were able to score 280. (With) a little more positive batting, if we were able to add 20-30 runs and then the opportunities while bowling… those things could have made a huge difference. We will think and analyse the pitch and how we can do better in the next game,” she said.

Asked about the combination of the Indian side, she said, “We will try whatever we have. It was the best combination for us. If you see our last series, spinners did very well. Their batters batted really well and we should give credit to them. (But) as a fielding unit, we were not able to capitalise on the opportunities.”

Australia skipper Alyssa Healy was proud of the team effort of her side. “(It was a) very nice way to start. Credit to the girls. To lose the toss and told to bowl first in the heat… really proud of that effort.”

“It was identified early that that was going to be the case. Taking wickets in the powerplay is important, but you can still get yourself back in the game by bowling smart and that is what our team does well.”

Healy also credited her batters for completing the chase comfortably.

“We want to push the limits when batting first and no different while chasing. We have the same intent, like we are setting a big total. Phoebe was outstanding, and everyone contributed beautifully and kept the scoring rate up,” she said.

Butter-fingered India dropped four catches as fine half-centuries from Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney and Annabel Sutherland powered Australia Women’s to a crushing eight-wicket victory in the first ODI on Sunday (September 14, 2025).

Batting first, India posted 281 for seven, and Australia completed the chase in 44.1 overs.

Litchfield (88 off 80 balls) was dropped twice while Mooney (77 not out off 74) and Ellyse Perry (30 retired hurt) received a lifeline each, as the Australians took a 1-0 lead in the three-match affair, which precedes the upcoming ODI World Cup.

During their stay in the middle, Mooney and Sutherland (54 not out off 51) added 116 runs for the third wicket.

Mooney, who was dropped by Deepti Sharma on 56, struck nine fours in her knock while Sutherland had six hits to the fence.

India had done fairly well in the first half of the game to set the visitors a 282-run target, putting their money on their spin battery but when chances were produced, the fielders came up short.

Litchfield made the most of three lifelines to make 88 runs with 14 fours which was laced with spectacular shots across the ground as she set the platform for Australia’s successful run chase.

However, Litchfield had the Indians to thank for that since she received a lifeline as early as in the second over when Jemimah Rodrigues spilled a sitter at midwicket off Sneh Rana when the Australian was yet to open her account.

In the 19th over, Litchfield got another lifeline on 56 when India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur dropped another easy chance at cover off Radha Yadav.

In between, Perry got a reprieve when Pratika Rawal, coming in from deep midwicket, could not hold on to a skier, which was hit high off a full toss from Radha, in the 17th over.

While the Indians did try their best to build pressure on the Australians in the field, the dropped catches and the occasional misfields did not help.

A firm believer of the reverse-sweep shot, Litchfield executed most of them adroitly.

One of them even went soaring for a boundary over the cover region but over reliance on the stroke led to her dismissal when a top edge was taken by substitute fielder Arundhati Reddy off Rana in the 27th over.

Litchfield’s dismissal followed Perry’s return to the dressing room owing to a calf strain which prevented her from running comfortably between wickets, putting a halt to their flourish in which the two Australians put on 79 runs for the second wicket.

Perry’s exit brought Mooney at the crease while Litchfield’s dismissal had no impact on Australia’s surge as they won the game comfortably.

Earlier, half-centuries by Pratika Rawal (64), Smriti Mandhana (58) and Harleen Deol (54) lifted India Women’s to a competitive total.

India were served well by their top order batters with each of them hitting their stride to make significant contributions, even as the middle order players did not get going.

Rawal and Mandhana put on 114 for the first wicket — now the third highest for India against Australia — showing why they have been a force to reckon with as a pair.

Australia, on their part, used as many as eight bowling options to get their players up and running in Indian conditions, with the ODI World Cup now a fortnight away.