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The Australia women's cricket team secured a commanding 3-0 whitewash against the Indian women's team in their ODI series, culminating in a decisive victory at the WACA on Wednesday. Australia captain Tahlia McGrath praised her team's collective effort and highlighted standout performances by Ashleigh Gardner and Annabel Sutherland during the post-match presentation.
"Very happy, in particular, Ash [Ashleigh Gardner] and Belsy [Annabel Sutherland] were good with bat and ball. Someone different has stood up every game. It's a collective approach, and we back each other. Everyone is stoked for them. Our batting is the highlight for me--our top four took the game on in game two, and Belsy did brilliantly today. In patches, we were good with the ball, though there's a bit of work to do there to be more consistent," McGrath said. Gardner delivered an all-round masterclass, scoring a crucial 50 off 64 balls before decimating the Indian batting line-up with her exceptional bowling, taking 5/30 in ten overs. Sutherland also had a stellar game, scoring a magnificent 110 off 95 balls and contributing with the ball by picking up a wicket. India, having won the toss and elected to field, struggled to contain the Australian batters. Despite Arundhati Reddy's impressive 4/26, Australia posted a formidable total of 298/6 in their 50 overs. Significant contributions from Sutherland and Gardner were bolstered by Tahlia McGrath's own innings and the earlier efforts of Phoebe Litchfield and Georgia Voll, who laid a solid foundation. In response, India's innings faltered despite a valiant century from Smriti Mandhana, who scored her fourth ODI hundred of 2024, setting a new record for the most centuries in a calendar year in women's ODIs. Mandhana's 105 off 109 balls was a lone beacon in an otherwise disappointing chase. Harleen Deol's 39 was the only other significant contribution as India crumbled under the pressure of a steep target, ultimately being bowled out for 215. Megan Schutt and Alana King also played pivotal roles with the ball, each picking up two wickets to complement Gardner's five-wicket haul and Sutherland's economical bowling. Australia's comprehensive victory not only demonstrated their dominance in the series but also underscored the depth and versatility of their squad, with different players stepping up in each game to secure the series win. (ANI)
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