Voll and Litchfield bludgeon India to set up 2-0 ODI series win

Voll made an 82-ball 101 and Litchfield smashed 80 from 62 as Australia mowed down 252 with 83 balls to spare

Tristan Lavalette

Published: Feb 27, 2026, 3:52 AM (7 hrs ago)

Australia 252 for 5 (Voll 101, Litchfield 80) beat India 251 for 9 (Harmanpreet 54, Rawal 52) by five wickets

Georgia Voll bludgeoned a century and Phoebe Litchfield cracked 80 as Australia issued a reminder of their 50-over mastery after crushing World Cup champions India at Bellerive Oval to clinch the ODI leg 2-0.

Chasing India's middling total of 251 for 9 on a very good batting surface, Litchfield and Voll combined for a second-wicket partnership of 119 in rapid time as Australia reached the finish line in the 37th over. Australia now leads 6-4 on points in the multi-format series with just the ODI finale and one-off Test in Perth left.

Despite dropping several catches in the field, Australia rebounded well after being rocked pre-match by the news that Sophie Molineux will miss the remainder of the multi-format series with a back injury.

Australia's attack bowled with far more discipline than their Indian counterparts in the benign conditions. Annabel Sutherland took 2 for 37 but curiously only bowled seven overs, with spinners Alana King and Ashleigh Gardner also claiming two wickets apiece. Nicola Carey finished with 1 for 55 off eight overs as a late inclusion for Molineux in her first ODI since the 2022 World Cup.

The ODI leg wraps up on the same ground on Sunday and a victory for Australia would mean they can't lose the multi-format series outright.

After a stirring 2-1 triumph in the T20Is, it has been a disappointing return to ODI cricket for India after their historic victory at last year's World Cup on home soil, which included a semi-final upset of Australia.

After the coin fell in their favour for the fifth straight time, India were left ruing not capitalising on a sloppy fielding performance from Australia with reckless batting proving costly.

Opener Pratika Rawal and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur bookended the innings with half-centuries, but India's chances of posting a big total nosedived when they lost 5 for 52 between the 17th and 31st overs.

Rawal and Smriti Mandhana, who rode good luck after a couple of dropped catches, had laid a strong platform with a 78-run opening partnership. But India were unable to kick on after several senseless dismissals including Mandhana, who was clean bowled by nemesis Gardner after shuffling across her stumps.

Rawal's classy 81-ball knock ended with a horrendous run-out on 52, where she was left stranded mid-pitch after a mix up with Harmanpreet. Jemimah Rodrigues also fell tamely to Sutherland on 11 after being elevated back to No.3 where she performed such heroics at the World Cup with Shafali Verma rested from this match.

Harmanpreet, who proved her fitness after sustaining a knee injury in the ODI opener, hit 54 from 70 balls to lift India from major trouble at 130 for 5. She was supported by cameos from several batters in the lower-order to at least ensure India posted a seemingly competitive total.

But it proved not nearly enough against a rampant Australia batting-order although retiring skipper Alyssa Healy missed out after her half-century in their six-wicket victory in the first ODI.

In the penultimate ODI match of her career, Healy fell for 6 after being knocked over by a superb yorker from Kashvee Gautam, who celebrated her first international wicket in style to continue an impressive all-round series.

Having effectively replaced injured Ellyse Perry, Voll was under pressure after a golden duck in the ODI opener. But she was undaunted and received a confidence boost by executing a brilliant lap scoop that motored to the boundary.

Litchfield was in an aggressive mood from the get go as she attacked the new ball by repeatedly hitting over the in-field. She scored 41 of Australia's 60 runs in the powerplay including blasting seamer Kranti Gaud for three consecutive boundaries.

Litchfield also unfurled the reverse sweep and used her feet to bludgeon through the offside to rattle left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma, who had the tough task of entering the attack in the eighth over in her ODI debut.

India needed left-arm spinner Shree Charani to provide a spark but she couldn't contain a rampaging Litchfield, who reached her 50 off 42 balls after blasting through cover-point.

India's fielding was abject with Voll dropped on 19 by Gaud at long-on and then on 53 by Mandhana at deep midwicket. Litchfield was left furious with herself after falling short of a century when she was clean bowled by Gaud having failed to execute a scoop - a stroke that had been highly profitable.

The only remaining interest was whether Voll would reach her second ODI century and she almost was dismissed on 99 but wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh fumbled down the legside.

Voll almost sheepishly celebrated her 80-ball ton before falling moments later, but the game had already been well and truly decided.

Tristan Lavalette is a journalist based in Perth

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