Is Healy Concerned About Perry’s Injury Scare?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Alyssa Healy reassured fans regarding Ellyse Perry's health.
- Phoebe Litchfield made a significant contribution with her innings.
- Australia displayed strong batting and bowling performances.
- India needs to improve fielding and capitalize on chances.
- Upcoming matches will be crucial for both teams.
New Delhi, Sep 15 (NationPress) Australia’s captain Alyssa Healy has clarified that the calf issue which led to veteran all-rounder Ellyse Perry retiring hurt during the first ODI against India on Sunday is not a major concern as they approach the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup.
Perry received treatment on her calf during her innings while Australia achieved a remarkable eight-wicket victory over India in New Chandigarh. Healy indicated that the problem was merely cramps and that Perry retired as a precautionary measure, according to ICC reports.
With Perry unavailable, young opener Phoebe Litchfield excelled with a fantastic score of 88 off just 80 balls, showcasing the seven-time World Cup champions' strength as they successfully chased down India’s total of 281/7 with over five overs to spare.
“She is just old, she is fine. We aim to push the limits whether batting first or chasing,” Healy stated. “Our intent remains the same as if we were setting a high total.”
“Phoebe was outstanding, and everyone contributed effectively to keep the scoring rate up,” Healy added.
Litchfield took advantage of the Indian bowlers throughout the chase, frequently utilizing her switch-hit tactic until she was dismissed just shy of a century.
“The conditions here are excellent for batting with some really flat pitches,” Litchfield remarked after receiving the Player of the Match award.
“A lot of practice has gone into that (switch-hit) shot. As a group, we entered the match with a clear plan to dominate. Our bowlers performed well on a decent wicket, limiting them to 280. Chasing it down with balls remaining is really satisfying.”
Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur lamented numerous dropped catches and noted that her team fell short of a competitive total after winning the toss and opting to bat first at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium.
“We were 20-30 runs short,” Harmanpreet acknowledged.
“Our bowlers were trying to create chances but couldn’t capitalize. They played excellent cricket and outperformed us, but we must remain positive and look forward to the next game.”
India and Australia will face off again at the same venue in the second match of the series on Wednesday.