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Gisborne: Planned outages Tue-WedGlorious Healy ton powers Australia to world-record win
Ian Chadband, AAP ⢠ October 13th, 2025 7:48 am
Australia captain Alyssa Healy takes off her helmet to mark her ton during the epic win over India | Photo: AP
Australia's grand old guard of Alyssa Healy and Ellyse Perry have seen the champions across the line under the lights at Visakhapatnam in a dramatic record-breaking chase that toppled hosts India at the World Cup.
Forced to overhaul an unprecedented 330 to win, opener Healy led superlatively from the front with 142, her sixth ODI hundred, her first as captain and the biggest innings of this year's tournament as Australia edged home by three wickets in a Sunday special.
When it came down to a nervy denouement, Healy's evergreen pal Perry, who had earlier had to retire with cramp, proved the rock in the penultimate over, hitting the straight driven six off the last ball from Sneh Rana to take the champions to 331/7 and seal a classic victory with six balls remaining.
Australia's Ellyse Perry takes off her helmet after smashing the winning six against India | Photo: AP
Perry, the cool finisher on 47 not out, was given sterling help at the death by fast bowler Kim Garth, who had also hit a reverse sweep for four in that key 49th over from Rana as the Aussies knocked off the 13 runs they needed.
Earlier, Annabel Sutherland's five-wicket haul had been crucial for Australia to check India's formidable charge after Healy had put them in to bat, with Smriti Mandhana again producing the goods for the rampant hosts.
The world's No. 1 ODI batter Mandhana was in majestic mood, the elegant left-handed opener striking her fifth successive score of 50 or more against Australia this year.
Mandhana's dazzling 80 off 66 balls was strongly supported by youngster Pratika Rawal (75 off 96) as they put on 155 in the first half of the innings to put Australia quickly on the rack.
But in the midst of the run-fest, with the Aussie spinners taking an early battering, Sutherland led the resistance, her quicker fare bringing her 5/40 and helping Healy's side repair the early damage as India lost their last six wickets for 36 when looking in shape to rack up a massive total.
India's Smriti Mandhana looked frustrated she didn't get to another 100 against Australia | Photo: AP
"I thought we were going to be chasing 380 at one point," admitted Healy.
As it was, useful contributions from Harleen Deol (38 off 42), Jemimah Rodrigues (33 off 21) and Richa Ghosh (32 off 22) amid India's 330 all out still put the utmost pressure on the champions.
But Healy, once again getting one over her old captaincy rival Harmanpreet Kaur, was at her devastating, pugnacious best from the start, powering to her hundred off 84 balls and going on to 142 off 107, featuring 21 fours and three sixes.
Australia were further boosted by opener Phoebe Litchfield (40 off 39), with whom Healy put on 85 in just 11.2 overs, Perry, who'd had to retire while struggling to walk when she'd got to 32 and returned after the fall of the sixth wicxket, and Ash Gardner, who made 45 off 46.
The victory put Australia back on top of the league table, still unbeaten after four matches, with three wins and a wash-out, and now well on course to make the semi-finals after their 12th straight completed World Cup match win stretching back to 2022.
For India, though, the pressure looks on after they lost their second match in four days, following the shock defeat by South Africa.
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