India Women v Australia Women 2021: Aussie openers demolish Indian bowling attack to register massive 9-wicket win

Australia Women openers Rachael Haynes and Alyssa Healy put on a dominant performance to help the hosts secure a crushing 9-wicket win over India Women in the 1st ODI in Mackay. It was their 25th consecutive win in the 50-over format.

After Darcie Brown's four-wicket haul helped Australia restrict the visitors to 225/8 in their 50 overs, Healy and Haynes put on a massive stand of 126 runs in just 21.2 overs to take the game away from India Women.

Put in to bat, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Varma got India off to a quick start, but Brown struck in the fourth over to remove the latter.

The early wicket turned the momentum in the hosts' favour, before Brown then sent Mandhana packing two overs later.

Debutant Yastika Bhatia then helped stabilise India's innings, alongside captain Mithali Raj.

The two put on 77 runs before Brown returned to give Australia yet another breakthrough as Bhatia returned to the dressing room having scored 35 off 51 deliveries.

Brown got her fourth wicket for Australia when she got Deepti Sharma to top-edge a short one to square leg.

Mithali Raj dropped anchor, but her knock was brought to an end by Sophie Molineux. The left arm spinner had the India Women captain stumped for 61 off 107 deliveries.

Richa Ghosh scored an unbeaten 32 off 29 deliveries, while veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami also chipped in with a knock of 20 runs to help India post a respectable 225-8 in their 50 overs.

Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy dominate for Australia

Australia's openers put on the perfect show for their team as they completely blew India's bowling attack out of the water. Rachael Haynes and Alyssa Healy picked the Indian bowlers apart, scoring at a quick rate.

Healy finally fell in the 22nd over, having scored her 13th ODI half-century. She was caught at mid-off trying to attack Poonam Yadav, but the damage was already done thanks to her knock of 77 runs in as many deliveries. Healy smashed eight boundaries and two sixes in her magnificent inning.

However, Australia remained in cruise control as captain Meg Lanning joined Haynes and carried on from where Healy had left off.

Haynes and Lanning both scored their 16th ODI half-centuries as they raced to their 226-run target.

Haynes finished unbeaten on 93 from 100 deliveries, with six boundaries to her name, while Lanning scored 53* from 69 balls.

India and Australia will now face off in the second Women's ODI on September 24 at the same venue.