Hobart, Feb 27 (.) An unbeaten century from Georgia Voll and a fluent 88 by Phoebe Litchfield powered the Australia women’s team to a five-wicket victory over India in the second ODI on Friday, sealing an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Chasing 252, Australia were jolted early when Kashvee Gautam bowled Alyssa Healy (9) in the fifth over. However, Voll and Litchfield took charge with a match-defining 119-run stand for the second wicket.
Litchfield looked set for a century before Kranti Goud dismissed her in the 20th over. She struck 88 off 62 balls, laced with 11 fours and a six. Voll continued her commanding knock and brought up her century before being caught off Kashvee Gautam for 101 off 82 deliveries, which included 13 fours and a six.
Beth Mooney (31) and Annabel Sutherland (10) fell to Deepti Sharma, but the visitors comfortably reached 252 for five in 36.1 overs, finishing the chase with 83 balls to spare.
For India, Deepti and Kashvee picked up two wickets each, while Kranti Goud claimed one.
Earlier, half-centuries from Pratika Rawal (52) and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (54) helped India post 251 for nine after electing to bat.
Openers Pratika and Smriti Mandhana added 78 runs for the first wicket before Ashleigh Gardner bowled Mandhana for 31 in the 17th over. Jemimah Rodrigues (11) was then dismissed by Sutherland, and Pratika was run out for 52 off 81 balls.
Middle-order contributions proved insufficient as Deepti (1), Amanjot Kaur (13), Richa Ghosh (22) and Kashvee (25) departed at regular intervals.
Harmanpreet struck 54 off 70 balls, including two fours and a six, before Megan Schutt removed her on the first ball of the final over. India closed at 251 for nine in their allotted 50 overs, with Vaishnavi Sharma unbeaten on 10.
For Australia, Sutherland, Alana King and Gardner claimed two wickets apiece, while Schutt and Nicola Carey picked up one each.
. VAN .