Australia Women Triumph in One-off Test
“Bouncing back from the T20 series defeat was unbelievable and proud of the bunch,” said Alyssa Healy following her team’s emphatic victory over India Women at the WACA Ground in Perth. The match, held from March 6 to March 8, 2026, culminated in a 10-wicket win for Australia, further solidifying their dominance in women’s cricket.
Australia won the toss and opted to field first, a decision that paid off as they restricted India to a total of 149 runs in their second innings. Pratika Rawal, making her debut, impressed with a solid 63 runs, showcasing her potential on the international stage. However, despite her efforts, India struggled to build a substantial total, leading to their eventual all-out in 48.2 overs.
On the third day, India resumed play at 105 for 6, trailing by 20 runs. Sneh Rana contributed 30 runs, but the team’s batting collapse meant they could not recover from their earlier setbacks. Australia, needing just 25 runs to win, chased down the target in a mere 4.3 overs, demonstrating their batting prowess and sealing the match decisively.
Annabel Sutherland was named Player of the Match for her outstanding performance, which was pivotal in Australia’s victory. This match also marked the end of Alyssa Healy’s illustrious international career, as she expressed her emotions saying, “I am going to sing that team song one last time, but happy to see this team going forward and get some good results. The last week or so has been amazing.”
India’s captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, reflected on the series, stating, “We started well in T20Is with a series win, but could not continue the good work in ODIs and Tests but playing a full series in Australia was a good experience.” This sentiment highlights the challenges faced by the Indian team throughout the multi-format series, which Australia clinched with a score of 12-4.
The one-off Test served as a culmination of India’s tour of Australia, a journey that began with promise but ultimately ended in disappointment for the visitors. Despite the loss, the emergence of players like Rawal offers a glimmer of hope for the future of Indian women’s cricket.
As the dust settles on this match, the focus will now shift to the upcoming fixtures for both teams. Australia will look to build on this momentum, while India will aim to regroup and address the issues that plagued their performance in this series.
