Wrapping up

Well, India have been dominated in this series so far. But thanks to the format of the ICC Women’s Championship, there are no dead rubbers. There are points at stake on Sunday and another big crowd is expected. India would do well to bounce with a win. Join us then for the live coverage. Ha

POST MATCH

Mithali Raj: “There was some movement initially, bowlers missed their lines and we missed out on opportunities. we needed more runs from the top order to support Mandhana. Would request the crowd to turn up in large numbers on Sunday too, it’s important for people to come watch us, women’s cricket is not that bad. (smiles)”

Meg Lanning: ‘We wanted to bat first, Beth Mooney’s knock was very crucial. Happy to take a 2-0 lead.’

Player of the match, Nicole Bolton.

END OF THE MATCH - India 227 all out after 49.2 overs: Poonam Yadav dismissed LBW by Perry, who is likely to be the player of the match for her all-round performance. Series win for the Aussies and one that is thoroughly deserved. Plenty to ponder once again for India.

After 47.2 overs, India 223/9: End of Vastrakar’s promising little innings. Another Schutt legcutter (there have been plenty of those today), the Indian can only edge it to Healy, who makes a sharp catch look easy.

A word of appreciation once again for Vastrakar’s batting - 30 off 33 balls.

After 45 overs, India 213/8: Young Vastrakar is impressing with the bat once again., with a late flurry of boundaries. Two in one over off Carey. Bisht is hanging around at the other end. Looks like the Indian batters are playing out time.

After 42 overs, India 197/8: Nicola Carey gets her first international wicket as Shikha Pandey gives a simple catch to Jonassen at point. The defeat is now imminent. (Well, has been for while)

After 40 overs, India 187/7 - need 101 off 60 balls: Well, something to cheer for the Indian crowd. Vastrakar sweeps Jonassen handsomely for a six over midwicket - the manual scoreboard has been dismantled there. Shikha finishes the over with a four.

After 39 overs, India 176/7: If India had the wickets at the start of the powerplay, this wasn’t a task too difficult but they have shot themselves in the foot with the batting. Left a lot to be desired. Shikha and Pooja Vastrakar playing out a few quiet overs.

After 36 overs, India 170/7 - DOUBLE STRIKE: Jonassen is enjoying her time out in the middle. Comes on to start the powerplay and gets two wickets in the over to hasten the end of India’s innings. Deepti Sharma tries to go big but holes out to Lanning at mid-off. She played a waiting game, but is out on 26 off 45. Last ball of the over, Sushma Verma lobs one back to the bowler. Delight for Australia, despair for India.

Powerplay time: Deepti Sharma (26 off 44) & Sushma Verma (6 off 8) on crease India 167/5, need 121 runs required from 15 overs. Able cricketers, but this feels like a task too big for India’s second half of the lineup.

After 34 overs, India 160/5 - Veda done in by the turn: Healy stumps Veda on 2 off 5. She comes down the track to Wellington, but misses it completely. Great work by the keeper, reading the turn and bounce well.

After 32 overs, India 155/4 - HARMANPREET GONE! And so are India’s hopes? No offence to Veda, Deepti and the rest of the batting lineup - but this chase needed a big innings from either Mithali or Harmanpreet and both are back in the pavilion. With the legspinner Wellington operating, Harmanpreet goes for the slog but not enough bat on it and it goes straight up. Keeper Healy calls it and take it safely, the VC goes for 17 off 26.

DRINKS - after 30 overs, India 145/3: This is slow going for India - has been the case since Mandhana’s dismissal. In 12.1 overs since Mandhana’s dismissal, 57 runs have come for the loss of two more wickets. Harmanpreet and Deepti are going steady with a partnership of 22. No one taking risks for now as the RRR climbs. The 30th over was a rare big over for India, with 10 from it. Carey starts off with a head-high full toss that is put away for four. The freehit just brings about a single though.

After 25 overs, India 125/3 - MITHALI RAJ GONE: Oh dear, that could the match for Australia. Mithali had to bat deep for India to have a chance at overhauling the Aussie score, but she’s gone in the 25th over. And it’s the world’s best cricketer right now, Ellyse Perry, with the breakthrough. Bangs one in short, Mithali goes for the pull, a faint edge goes to the keeper. Silence in Vadodara.

All eyes and hopes on Harmanpreet Kaur now...

After 24 overs, India 122/2: Rebuilding underway by Mithali and Deepti - the Indian captain has three boundaries to her name so far. The first, a masterful square drive off Perry. And then she takes on Wellington, dispatching a full toss over mid-on. The third is a lucky break, edges a cut - it goes between the keeper and the slip fielder. Lucky there, the Indian captain.

After 21 overs, India 104/2 - RAUT OUT! IT’s not been an innings to remember at all for Punam Raut. Almost inexcusable, that innings. 27 off 61 in a chase of 288 is not done. Had to stay and made sure she caught up but goes for a big shot, to clear the boundary, ends up finding the long on fielder.

Mithali Raj walks in to huge cheers from an excellent crowd at Vadodara. Deepti finishes that over with a powerful sweep shot for four.

After 20 overs, India 98/1: At this position, India not far away from where Australia were at this stage (102/1) but that’s without taking scoreboard pressure into account. Raut is now trying to take the initiative, using her feet well against the spinners - but still not getting the big shots, finding the fielders.

After 18 overs, India 92/1 - MANDHANA GONE! What a big, big wicket for Australia. Mandhana’s innings comes to an end 67 off just 53 balls. That innings by Mandhana should not have ended like that. Juicy full toss by Jonassen, hit straight to the fielder at fine leg. What an anti-climactic end to a fantastic knock.

In walks Deepti Sharma, and not Mithali Raj. Pinch-hitter? Right-left combo? Both? Interesting call nonetheless.

After 16 overs, India 80/0 - DRINKS: Alright, this is now a solid, solid start for India and that’s thanks largely due to Mandhana’s elegant knock. Raut is also starting to find some timing and that’s comforting from an Indian point of view. She takes on Jess Jonassen with a lofted four over mid-off for her first boundary. Mandhana ends that 16th over with a gorgeous backfoot punch through cover, has moved to 62 off 49 balls.

After 14 overs, India 64/0 - FIFTY FOR MANDHANA! What a fine player. Gets to her 8th ODI half-century which comes off only 41 deliveries as she keeps India in with a chance. Brings up the milestone with a delicate leg glance.

After 12 overs, India 53/0: Oh dear, this is now becoming a painfully poor innings by Punam Raut. Batting on 7 off 35 balls with a record run-chase in a must-win match is... just bad. The onus is on her to play catch up otherwise she might have done serious damage to India’s chances here.

Mandhana at the other end continues to find the boundaries, and time the ball well. A bad ball from Carey first up - short and outside leg stump, pulled away for four. She’s closing in on a fine half century.

End of powerplay, India 44/0 after 10 overs: Mandhana ends the powerplay in fine fashion, hitting Perry for a couple of boundaries - one a lucky inside edge to fine leg, one a trademark front foot pull over mid-on.

Talk about contrasting fortunes so far:

Mandhana: 40 off 32
Raut: 4 off 28

After 8 overs, India 27/0: Punam Raut REALLY needs to get a move on, another maiden over for Schutt who has conceded just one run in four overs. Tight bowling, on a good length in the offstump channel but Raut can’t just get her timing right. Can’t rotate either, batting on 3 off 25 balls. Mandhana finds the boundaries at the other end, hits her fourth 4, pulling a short ball once again through midwicket.

After 6 overs, India 22/0: Megan Schutt is making life hard for Raut, two maidens for her so far and starts off her third with four dot balls. Raut feels the pressure, mistimes a lofted pull but Gardner puts it down, running backwards from mid-on. It’s Mandhana from the other end who’s keeping the scoreboard ticking, as she hits Perry’s last ball for a four over midwicket.

After 4 overs, India 16/0: The chase is now gathering steam and wouldn’t you, it’s Mandhana who is getting a move on. 11 runs from Ash Gardner’s over - a four through midwicket and six over long on by the dashing left hander. So good to watch.

After 2 overs, India 5/0: India’s chase gets underway with a maiden over from Megan Schutt who keeps Punam Raut quiet in the first over. It’s spin from the other end and Gardner concedes five runs, including the first boundary of the innings. Smriti with a trademark lofted off drive over mid-off. Class.

INNINGS BREAK: The numbers are not in India’s favour right now, as the women in blue have crossed 250 while batting second just once in their history. A massive run-chase coming up.

Courtesy: ESPN Cricinfo Statsguru

END OF AUSTRALIA INNINGS, 287/9 - Perry not out on 70: A productive final over for Australia, 10 runs from it despite two run outs, thanks to a big hit from Perry off the seocond ball.

Well, India are going to have to pull off a record run-chase in Vadodara. The mighty Aussie batting lineup show just how well-rounded they are. Bolton with the fireworks at the top, Perry finishing off in style - Lanning and Mooney chipping in, in between.

After 49 overs, Australia 277/7: A wicket for Shikha Pandey (her third) but also 12 runs from that over. A boundary for Carey before she finds Veda at cover mishitting a slower delivery. Perry finishes the over with a boundary - Australia are racing to a big total.

After 48 overs, Australia 266/6: Nicola Carey is batting for the first time in international cricket and she’s providing the late burst for Australia. Two boundaries off Vastrakar’s over - a powerful cut and pull by the talented left handed bat.

STAT ALERT: Ellyse Perry is a special, special cricketer.

After 47 overs, Australia 255/6 - Gardner gone: Sushma Verma, well done! Poonam’s slow turn deceives Gardner, who misses a slog sweep and is also caught out of the crease - the Indian keeper whips the bails off in a flash. Perry takes Australia past 250 though - a lovely lofted on drive for four to end that over.

Australia’s 5th 250-plus score against India.

After 46 overs, Australia 248/5 - FIFTY FOR PERRY! The Aussie allrounder has reached another landmark in her glittering career. 25th ODI fifty and it’s come in just 59 balls - and she’s looking set for more.

After 45 overs, Australia 244/5 - MOONEY DISMISSED! Shikha Pandey does what very Indian players have managed to do so today - hang on to a catch. This is a wonderful reflex effort off her own bowling as the change of pace deceives the well-set batter.

After 44 overs, Austarlia 238/4 - FIFTY FOR MOONEY! What a knock this has been by Mooney so far! She has looked so determined from the moment she walked in and has just timed her way (reverse sweeps galore) for a 36-ball half century. Two boundaries to go from 46 to 54 - taking her tally to nine fours in this innings.

After 43 overs, Australia 228/4 - reprieves for Mooney and Perry: A costly error by the umpire and a costly drop by Ekta Bisht. Mooney is caught brilliantly by Sushma Verma as she tried to cut Poonam, a thick outside edge is not spotted. Mooney then responds with a powerful hit for four. Perry is then dropped next over by Ekta Bisht off her own bowling - and she responds with a straight six over long-on! India are on the ropes at the moment.

After 40 overs, Australia 203/4 - GOOD POWERPLAY FOR AUSSIES: The partnership is now 58 as 37 runs without a wicket results from five powerplay overs. After 11 runs in the first over of Powerplay by Pandey - two juicy full tosses outside offstump put away by Mooney either side of the deep point fielder - a much better line from Vastrakar gives away only 3 runs. in the next over. Pandey concedes another boundary in the 38th, Bisht follows that up with a five-run over. And the duo finishes the powerplay with a flourish – a boundary each in Deepti Sharma’s over.

Dangerous partnership this is turning into...

After 35 overs, Australia 166/4: After a few quiet overs, Perry and Mooney are stitching together a good partnership. A boundary each in the last two overs as Mooeny reverse sweeps Poonam while Perry punches elegantly though mid-off in Ekta’s over. Mooney, it is worth remembering, smashed a quckfire ton in the warm up game earlier - so she is in good touch.

After 31 overs, Australia 144/4 - Haynes dismissed: And finally in this series, it feels like India are in a contest with the Aussies. It’s now Harmanpreey Kaur’s turn to provide a wicket for Raj. Haynes, just in, tries to be too cheeky and plays a lap sweep, misses it completely and is bowled around her legs.

Last 5 overs, 14 runs for Australia and 3 wickets for India. Game on!

After 30 overs, Australia 143/3 - BOLTON GONE! Nope, no back-to-back 100s for Bolton. “COME ON!!” goes Ekta Bisht as Bolton goes for the expansive sweep - was there a bottom edge? can’t really tell - and is given LBW. Big, big wicket for India once again and they are right back in this match.

Meanwhile in the commentary box...

“Have you had Biriyani, Mel? Roger Federer always reminds me of Biriyani, because he is the GOAT”

— Rohan Gavaskar

After 29 overs, Australia 141/2: India would do well to not let their guard down having dismissed Lanning again cheaply, because the best Aussie cricketer has just walked out to bat - Ellyse Perry gets going with a four through mid-off, a lovely off-drive for four.

A word for Shikha - that really was a good half-over to Lanning. Ruffled her a bit with a brilliant yorker that was just about kept out and next ball got the wicket. Bolton, meanwhile, has moved into the 80s. Consecutive 100s?

After 27 overs, Australia 135/2 - LANNING GONE! Could just be a big moment in the match this for India. The partnership was threatening to snowball into a big one for Aussies but Shikha Pandey removes captain Lanning. The captain tries to go for the big shot - she wasn’t quite in the groove today - and finds Punam Raut on the boundary line at deep cover.

(Of course, the Aussies bat deep - very deep - so this might not mean much...)

After 26 overs, Australia 130/1: While Bolton has been going great guns, Lanning has looked a little iffy in this innings so far - should have been given LBW earlier, has played a couple of gorgeous drives but a contribution of 24 off 40 balls in a 70-plus partnership tells you the story.

Shikha Pandey has been brought back, as India look for a breakthrough...

After 24 overs, Australia 124/1: The partnership has crossed fifty and going strong as Lanning and Bolton put India’s bowling to the sword. Kaur and Yadav bowling in tandem now. The partnership has constantly kept the scoreboard ticking - and it’s now up to 70 off 67 balls. Lanning on 22, Bolton on 75. Bolton continues to sweep beautifully against the spinners, and the three dropped chances (two of them tough) are proving costly. Australia are heading to a big total here.


After 20 overs, Australia 101/1: Again, Ekta Bisht comes back into the attack in the 19th and bowls a short ball to Bolton that she happily puts away for another boundary. An interesting moment in the 20th over - Vastrakar bowls one short of good length, Meg Lanning goes for the pull and completely misses it - the ball thuds into her back leg. Only a half-appeal from Pooja. That was plumb, if you ask me. NO DRS unfortunately.

STAT ALERT: Nicole Bolton continues her wonderful run of form in ODIS....

After 17 overs, Australia 82/1 - FIFTY FOR BOLTON! She’s had a few lives already today (three by our count so far) but she has made the most of it. A run-a-ball half century for the Aussie opener and she continues to remain unbeaten. Nine boundaries already, she hit 12 in her century the other day.

After 15 overs, Australia 70/1 - DRINKS: Nicole Bolton continues to bat on in this series and that’s thanks to some ordinary fielding by India. Another chance goes begging, this time Bolton sweeps Yadav (powerfully hit) but Pooja should be doing better at mdiwicket. Mistimes her jump and puts it down. And in this two-over spell, Bolton has hit three boundaries - just rubbing in the fact that India shouldn’t be giving her so many chances.

After 13 overs, Australia 55/1 - HEALY GONE: Pressure pays. Dot balls do the trick. The bowling change works for India as Poonam Yadav gets Healy to mistime a lofted shot and Veda Krishnamurthy at long-off does not miss this. The dangerous Alyssa Healy is gone for 19 off 37!

After 12 overs, Australia 54/0: Good spell for India this as the spinners start to restrict the run-flow. Just one run from Deepti in the 11th over and five from Ekta in the 12th - again, one bad ball put away.

Time for Poonam Yadav’s slow, loopy leg spin.

After 10 overs, Australia 47/0: Spinners bowling in tandem now as Ekta Bisht comes on in the 10th and bowls an excellent over - a maiden to start with. Deepti, like the bowlers before her, spoils a good over with a short ball that Bolton punches through cover for four.

After 8 overs, Australia 43/0: Spin introduced in the 7th over and Deepti Sharma creates chances right away But the catches fall just short of Raj & Mandhana. A checked forward defence is lobbed to short cover, Raj puts in the dive, gets to the ball but couldn’t hold on. A lofted shot follows and Mandhana, pedalling back, puts is a late dive too and the ball slips through the fingers.

Near misses, but against Bolton, they could be crucial.

Pandey continues from the other end and Healy gets a boundary through midwicket... another short ball.

After 6 overs, Australia 31/0: Steady start this for the Southern Stars. Pandey bowls the first boundary-less over after four overs with a boundary each. Vastrakar concedes one in the sixth - the moment she drops short,. Bolton rocks back and pulls uppishly in the vacant square leg region. Consistency has been an issue for India this morning.

Spin to be introduced soon? Yes, of course. Deepti comes in to bowl in the 7th over...

After 4 overs, Australia 24/0: A boundary every over so far for Australia. Shikha is square driven by Bolton who then drives Pooja through the covers in the next over. Healy once again chases a away-swining ball outside off stump, and the edge goes past gully. Living by the sword...

After 2 overs, Australia 14/0: 10 runs from Pooja Vastrakar’s first over but not a bad start per se. Gets a good away shape going, like she usually does. Alyssa Healy, though, is an aggressive bat and she will punish anything that’s full and wide - starts off with a boundary. Another drive though, takes the outside edge and just goes over Deepti at gully (standing too close perhaps?).

After 1 over, Australia 4/0: Shikha Pandey starts with a packed offside field to the left-handed Bolton, and gets the angle going away from her. That means plenty of open spaces in the legside, which Bolton exploits - pulls a short ball from outside offstump through midwicket for four. Five dot balls otherwise.

09:00 am: We are all set... Shikha Pandey will begin proceedings for India.

CORRECTION: There are two changes for India, not just as we had previously mentioned. Along with Mithali Raj, Ekta Bisht makes a return too, replacing Gayakwad.

08:45 am: Well, we called it unsurprising given the struggles India had in pacing their innings batting first in the first ODI and the fielders looking leggy in the afternoon hit when Australia came out to bat. Centurion Bolton even mentioned she was seeing double towards the end of her innings, and bowling second will ask more out of this Aussie team, fitness-wise.

Snehal Pradhan thinks it’s a surprise... we will find out soon if the Indian team has indeed made the right call.

Playing XIs

With Mithali Raj coming back, India have decided to go for a straight swap with debutant in the first ODI, young Jemimah Rodrigues, making way for the captain. India retain the same players otherwise. Australia retain the same XI.

India XI: Smriti Mandhana, Punam Raut, Mithali Raj (c), Harmanpreet Kaur, Veda Krishnamurthy, Deepti Sharma, Sushma Verma, Shikha Pandey, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Pooja Vastrakar, Poonam Yadav

Australia XI: Healy, Bolton, Lanning (c), Perry, Mooney, Haynes, Gardner, Carey, Jonassen, Wellington, Schutt

TOSS

First things first, it is Mithali Raj who has walked out for the toss today and as expected, she’s back fit. India win the toss and (unsurprisingly) opt to bowl first.

08:30 pm: What does the toss hold? And will it be Mithali Raj doing the coin toss? We will find out soon enough.

08:25 pm: It was a massive win for Australia in the first match, romping home with more than 15 overs left, as in a reversal of roles the Aussie spinners comfortably outperformed their Indian counterparts.

What went wrong for Indian on that day? Here are talking points from the first match.

08:25 pm: Hello all and welcome to the live blog of the second ODI of the three-match series between the Women in Blue and Southern Stars. India and Australia square for the second time in four days in Vadodara in the ICC Women’s Championship and the hosts must win this match to stay alive in the series.