India put up a valiant fight against Australia while chasing a record 413 in the third ODI at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. The Women in Blue went down by just 43 runs; however, they created history despite their loss.
India put up a valiant effort with the bat, but their heroics fell short of what would have been a record chase in the history of women’s ODI. Chasing a mammoth 413, the Women in Blue put up a brilliant fight on the back of Smriti Mandhana’s blistering century and strong fifties from Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma, but lost the game by 43 runs after getting bowled out for 369..
This could well have been the highest-ever chase in women’s ODI history, easily more than what Sri Lanka had done when they hunted down 302 against South Africa in 2024.
Despite their loss, India have created history as their 369-run score is the biggest in the second innings and the biggest in a losing cause too.
The previous biggest total in the second innings belonged to South Africa, who had hit 321/6 in their 326-run chase against the Indian team.
Highest score in losing cause in an ODI:
1 – 369 by India vs Australia in 2025
2 – 321/6 by South Africa vs India in 2024
3 – 314/7 by South Africa vs India in 2025
4 – 305/9 by South Africa vs England in 2017
5 – 305/10 by England vs India in 2025
Smriti Mandhana’s heroic hundred also went in vain. She had hit the second fastest century in women’s ODI in 50 balls and slammed 125 off 63 deliveries. India were off to a flying start, thanks to Mandhana. She slammed a fifty 23 balls, the fastest for India in women’s ODI and then the fastest ODI ton for India across men’s and women’s cricket.
Deepti Sharma had kept the Women in Blue very much alive in the chase despite the hosts losing Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur, who made 52 from 35 balls. Deepti played well with the lower order, notching a stand of 65-run stand for the eighth wicket with Sneh Rana.ย
However, she lost her wicket in the 43rd over to Tahlia McGrath, withย Charli Knott taking a catch at deep mid-wicket. Rana was stumped with the Women in Blue on 364 as their hopes sank down and got bowled out for 369.
Earlier, Australia had made 412, their joint highest ODI total. It was also the first time that India conceded a score in excess of 400 in a Women’s ODI. Beth Mooney had slammed a jaw-dropping 57-ball century as her 138-run knock off 75 balls played a vital role in the Aussies getting to 412.