Key Points

In their final outing before the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025, defending champions Australia overcame a feisty Indian batting effort to seal a series win with a record outing in Delhi.

This win was possible on the back of Beth Mooney's 138 off 75 balls, a knock during which she equalled the third-fastest century in Women's ODIs.

Speaking after the contest, the Player of the Match, Mooney, believed the result boded well for her side going into the World Cup.

"To win World Cups, you need to be the most adaptable team and the most composed team," Mooney said, as quoted by the ICC.

"We showed that a lot tonight, when Smriti was obviously coming quite hard (at us), and building some partnerships with Harman (Harmanpreet Kaur), and then Deepti (Sharma) coming in at the end," she added.

While Australia posted a record 412 after Mooney's effort, their joint-best total in ODIs, equalling 412/3 made in the 1997 World Cup against Denmark, India gave them a fright with a blazing start.

Smriti Mandhana's sensational 125 led the chase, with the batter scoring the second-fastest ton in the format. She was ably supported by Deepti Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur's quick fifties. However, Australia managed to keep their cool, with Megan Schutt (2/53) and Kim Garth (3/69) leading the way with the ball. Schutt reached the landmark of 300 international wickets, just the second Australian to achieve the feat in women's cricket apart from Ellyse Perry.

Mooney was pleased with Australia's bowling effort, and added that once the likes of Annabel Sutherland and Phoebe Litchfield, who had both missed the game, returned to the XI, there was no limit to what the side could do at the World Cup.

"It's been nice to see the girls come up with different ideas on the field, and the fielders back it up. Obviously, Belsy (Annabel Sutherland) and Phoebe (Litchfield) have been on the sidelines. So, when they get their opportunity in the side, once they are fit and firing, there's absolutely no ceiling for this group. I think we can really put a marker out there for this World Cup," she noted.

Mooney showered her praise on Mandhana, who went on to win the Player of the Series award for her 300 runs, and added that Australia had to wait for their opportunities to grasp the contest.

"Throughout this series, Smriti has come out pretty hard. She's a classy player, she has been an amazing player for India across the last couple of years in particular so, from my point of view it was just about remaining composed as well as the rest of the group," she said.

"Unfortunately, early on they didn't quite stick but once we got there in the end, got some wickets and built some pressure that way, it sort of killed the game in the end," she added.

Mooney added that the wicket in Delhi helped showcase the potential that lay in the women's game.

"Hopefully there aren't too many flat wickets at the World Cup because I don't know if I have the stamina to last seven or eight games like that," Mooney remarked playfully before adding.

"But it certainly shows what's possible in the women's game now if you play with the right tempo and the right mindset. I think it's a really great spectacle for where the game's at. And hopefully, where the game is gonna go moving forward," she said.

Despite Australia's triumph over India, Mooney stated that her team would go in believing that there are no comfortable wins in the international game.

"Every game is going to be pretty tough to be honest. There's no easy games in international cricket any more. A lot of teams have spent the last three or four years, working hard for this World Cup," she added.

"So from my point of view, and from the rest of the team, we don't take any teams lightly any more. It's a tough world out there in international cricket, and you've got to get it right when you show up," she said.

Australia will now travel to Bengaluru to prepare for their Women's World Cup warm-up fixture against England on September 28.

- ANI