In response, India accelerated to 98 for 1 at stumps, with openers Smriti Mandhana (43 not out, 49 balls, 8×4) and Shafali Verma (40, 59 balls, 8×4) contributing to a stable partnership of 90 runs.
The turning level in India’s ascent got here by way of Pooja Vastrakar (4/53), who collaborated with Sneh Rana (3/56) and Deepti Sharma (2/45) to dismiss the Australian innings in 77.4 overs, regardless of a resilient fifty by Tahlia McGrath.
Australia’s innings obtained off to a shaky begin, shedding opener Phoebe Litchfield within the very first over on account of a mix-up together with her accomplice Beth Mooney on the Wankhede Stadium.
Simply 4 deliveries later, Vastrakar bowled a superb supply to dismiss Ellyse Perry (4), leaving Australia at 7/2 throughout the preliminary two overs.
Vastrakar beat the defence of star all-rounder Perry by getting the ball transfer into her to disturb the stumps.
However McGrath (50 off 56 balls, 8x4s) got here out firing on all cylinders to place stress again on India, making many of the errors in line and within the area.
McGrath was extreme on something that had width, racing to her third fifty in 5 Assessments with eight fours whereas additionally utilising two lifelines within the type of dropped catches when she was on 24 and 45.
Whereas making the majority of runs throughout her 80-run stand with Mooney for the second wicket, McGrath additionally set herself up for a giant rating. However an error in judgement made her pay closely, and it additionally opened the floodgates.
Having obtained her runs fluently up till then, the Australian vice-captain chipped Rana straight to Rajeshwari Gayakwad at midwicket who timed her bounce properly to gather the ball over her head.
Mooney (40) batted properly regardless of her struggles early on towards spin and tempo to get near a half-century, however Vastrakar stunned the left-hander with a pointy bouncer that shot off the floor.
The resultant edge lobbed in the direction of Rana at first slip after deflecting off the gloves of Yastika Bhatia.
Having misplaced a piece of batting to succeed in 103/4 at lunch, each Alyssa Healy (38) and Annabel Sutherland (16) confirmed spectacular footwork throughout their 40-run affiliation which ended abruptly.
Australia skipper Healy couldn’t do a lot when a supply from Deepti stored very low to crash onto her stumps, after which Vastrakar pinned Sutherland in entrance of the wicket for her third scalp.
Ashleigh Gardner (11) was Vastrakar’s fourth sufferer as she meekly performed one exterior the off stump to be caught behind. However Australia’s tail produced a very good fightback to take them previous 200.
A cussed 30-run affiliation between Jess Jonassen (19) and Kim Garth (28 not out) did frustrate India, who have been made to work onerous for the breakthrough on both facet of the tea break.
Jonassen and Garth took their time accumulating runs as their partnership got here off 93 balls, whereas Lauren Cheatle (6) additionally hung round to make sure Australia put an inexpensive complete on the board.
However when India batted, there have been no such struggles.
Mandhana and Verma have been additionally assisted by the waywardness of Australian bowlers, who dished out plenty of deliveries ripened both to drive, reduce or pull because the Indians plundered their runs at practically six an over.
Their alliance ended when Jonassen trapped Verma in entrance of the wicket however by then India had shaved off Australia’s result in a very good extent.
(With PTI Inputs)
