3rd ODI: Harmanpreet Emphasizes the Need to Finish Strong Following India's 3-0 Series Loss to Australia

Perth, Dec 11 (NationPress) After facing a loss against Australia by 83 runs in the third and concluding match, resulting in a 3-0 clean sweep in the ODI series, captain Harmanpreet Kaur expressed that her squad must understand how to secure victories by maintaining focus until the end. Achieving a target of 299 runs against Australia was always a challenging endeavor at the WACA Stadium, yet with Smriti Mandhana's impressive 105, India remained in contention. However, once she was dismissed by Ashleigh Gardner at a score of 189/4, the Indian batting line-up collapsed, leading to an all-out for 215 in 45.1 overs.

This match also rendered Arundhati Reddy's remarkable performance of 4-27 ineffective for India, who concluded their brief tour without a victory, raising further concerns about their preparations for the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup. 'Our bowling was effective, particularly Arundhati, who kept us competitive. We have much to learn from these matches; we will return and evaluate our performance during the tour. Smriti's innings and Richa's 50 in the second game were pivotal. We showcased moments of brilliance but failed to sustain the momentum. We need to master the art of finishing strong,' Harmanpreet stated after the match.

Annabel Sutherland, who was named the Player of the Match for her score of 110 and received the Player of the Series accolade, expressed satisfaction in navigating through challenging phases during Australia’s innings to secure a win for the hosts. 'The Indian pace bowlers posed challenges, taking early wickets and making it difficult. However, Ash and I managed to grind our way through and capitalize towards the end. Climbing up the order is always challenging.'

'The girls batted beautifully. We discussed our strategy and I’m pleased it worked well in these two games. Prioritizing my fitness and preparing for travel is essential to ensure we arrive in top shape for these conditions.'

Tahlia McGrath, the Australian captain, expressed her happiness and praised the team's collective effort, highlighting that different players consistently stepped up to secure victories throughout the series. 'I am very pleased, particularly with Ash (Gardner) and Belsy (Sutherland) for their contributions with both bat and ball.'

'Each game saw someone different making a significant impact, reflecting our collective approach where we support each other—everyone is thrilled for their teammates. Our batting stood out for me, particularly our top order in game two, Belsy today, and we performed well in patches with the ball. However, we still have work to do in maintaining consistency.'

Australia is set to head to New Zealand for a series of three ODIs at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, commencing December 19. Meanwhile, India will return home to compete in three T20Is against the West Indies, starting in Navi Mumbai on December 15, followed by three ODIs in Baroda.