Narrow loss for Indian women, but massive fielding lapses from both sides

Australia players celebrate India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s wicket at Wankhede on Saturday. Pic/PTI

Seven dropped chances and a couple of indecisions with the Decision Review System (DRS) did not go well with India on Saturday. Australia cashed in on these lapses to post a series-clinching three-run victory in the second ODI, extending their dominance over India to nine bilateral series triumphs out of nine.

India's head coach Amol Muzumdar had spoken about a DRS committee being formed within the team. It turned out to be the game-changer at the Wankhede Stadium as the ‘committee' went for a DRS they should not have, and did not go for one they should have. This uncertainty and the dropped catches overshadowed Deepti Sharma's second five-wicket haul in ODIs (5-38).

Riding on second consecutive half-centuries by Phoebe Litchfield (63) and Elysse Perry (50), and their 77-run second-wicket stand, Australia posted 258-8 on a pitch that unusually had more turn.

India were kept in the hunt by Richa Ghosh, who stroked her way to 96, her highest ODI score. She also benefitted from the Australians' largesse, dropped by Litchfield at slip on 0 and by Annabel Sutherland at long-off on 36. She put on 88 runs for the third wicket with Jemimah Rodrigues (44) to keep India abreast. But her dismissal in the 44th over, when India needed 41 more, set India on the back foot.

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Healy, on six, was given not out by Vrinda Rathi. Everything was right about the Pooja Vastrakar delivery including its pitching and the height. However, India did not go for the DRS. Replays showed all three - Pitching, Impact and Wickets - red. In the ninth over by Renuka Singh, with Litchfield on 17, the ball pitched outside leg stump and was given not out by umpire Navdeep Singh Sidhu. However, India went for the DRS, which was unsuccessful.

Litchfield had three lives dropped on 0 at cover by Amanjot Kaur off Renuka in the match's second ball, on 10 when a drive off Vastrakar went through Smriti Mandhana's hands at mid-off and on 16, edging Vastrakar to first slip, where Yastika Bhatia floored a simple chance.

India's poor catching continued when Sneh Rana, off her own bowling, failed to hold on to a powerful hit by Perry (on 30). Mandhana, Kaur and Deepti too were guilty of dropping chances, the last two off Alana King (28') in the death overs.

Brief scores
Australia 258-8 in 50 overs (P Litchfield 63, E Perry 50; D Sharma 5-38) beat India 255-8 in 49.6 overs (R Ghosh 96, J Rodrigues 44, S Mandhana 34; A Sutherland 3-47, G Wareham 2-39) by three runs