[WATCH] India get penalty runs after ball hits wicket-keeper's helmet during IND-W vs AUS-W Women's World Cup 2025 clash

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 17:53:27 GMT

India didn’t enjoy a superb campaign in the Women’s World Cup 2025 but were lucky to earn victories against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. However, they slipped in their third encounter of the event against the South Africa side due to the poor show from their top order in the batting department. The majority of their work gets left to the lower order.

However, there was a change for their fourth fixture against Australia at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam. Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal provided them a solid start with the bat, thanks to the 155-run opening stand as both recorded their respective half-centuries to offer a strong platform with the bat.

On the last ball of the 29th over, an interesting incident took place in the middle. Annabel Sutherland used his fingers to vary the pace of the ball at Pratika Rawal, who swept the ball on her knees but couldn’t get a connection on the ball. That was also the case with the wicket-keeper. Alyssa Healy, who failed to grab the ball with her gloves.

Watch: Alyssa Healy’s mistake gives India five penalty runs during IND-W vs AUS-W Women's World Cup 2025 clash

The ball went under Healy and hit the wicket-keeper’s helmet before rolling towards the boundary. That provided the Indian side a penalty of five runs as the ICC rule suggests. That’s a reason why sometimes the keepers send their helmets back to the dressing room when they keep wickets against the pacers.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ICC (@icc)

After Harmanpreet and Rawal’s respective half-centuries, India struggled a little in the middle order. Harleen Deol ended with 38 runs in 42 balls, while their captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, smashed 22 runs in 17 balls with the help of three boundaries.

However, they got the acceleration at the right time from Jamimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh. They put up a partnership of over 50 runs in less than five overs, which put enormous pressure on Healy and her team. India inched close to the 300-run mark and aimed to get near 350 to post a challenge to the opposition on a flat batting surface.

[WATCH] Smriti Mandhana celebrates 50-ball century in 3rd INDW vs AUSW ODI

Sat, 20 Sep 2025 19:29:12 GMT

By the time Australia posted 412 runs on the board in their 50 overs during the first innings of the decider at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, many reckoned that the Indian women could hardly plan for this chase. But their opening batter, Smriti Madhana, who celebrated a fine century in the last game, continued to show her dominance in this clash.

The India batter started with truck-loaded boundaries from the opening over of the innings before continuing to smash the opponent bowlers around the park. By the end of the 10overs, they clubbed 96/2, which is the second-highest score in women’s ODIs at this position.

On the second delivery of the 18th over, Mandhana went low and nailed the low full toss over the mid-wicket region for a sensational shot to celebrate her century in just 50 balls. Two balls later, she clubbed the short ball to find the gap through the deep region. This is now the second fastest century in women’s ODIs after Meg Lanning’s 45-ball hundred in 2012 against the New Zealand side.

Watch: Smriti Mandhana celebrates second-fastest century in women’s ODIs

Smriti has also now celebrated 13 centuries in the ODIs for women’s cricket, which is the third most in the list after Suzie Bates’ 13 and Meg Lanning’s 15. It’s her fourth century of the year in Odis, which is the joint best after she achieved the feat in 2024. That’s also her four centuries in ODIs against Australia, having smashed centuries successively on two occasions.

First #TeamIndia batter to score back-to-back ODI hundreds twice in women's cricket 🔥

Exemplary batting from Smriti Mandhana 🙌

Updates ▶️ https://t.co/Z0OmZGVfVU #INDvAUS | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @mandhana_smriti pic.twitter.com/6tGBaqkAme
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) September 20, 2025

Earlier in the game, Beth Mooney’s fine 75-ball knock of 138 runs, along with 68 runs from Ellyse Perry and Georgia Voll’s 81 runs, helped the away side to post 412 on the board. Every batter arrived and looked to drill the big shots around the park from the start.

India made a good start in the chase. Along with Mandhana’s century, their captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, also smashed 52 runs in 35 balls while Mandhana was 120 unbeaten when the scorecard was last updated. India reached 207/2 in 20.2 overs and were in a good state.