Brisbane, Feb 24 (NationPress) India's batting challenges were evident, even with notable contributions from Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana, as they faced Australia in the opening ODI of their three-match series. The Women in Blue were dismissed for just 214 runs in 48.3 overs, showcasing the dominance of the host's bowling attack at the Allan Border Field on Tuesday.

India's innings began on a shaky note, with Pratika Rawal falling lbw to Megan Schutt on the very first ball, quickly followed by Shafali Verma, who was dismissed after a sharp return catch from Darcie Brown. At 31/2 by the eighth over, India leaned heavily on Mandhana to stabilize their innings.

However, just as India seemed to find their footing, the momentum shifted once again. Ashleigh Gardner dismissed Jemimah Rodrigues, who returned to the pavilion with a meager eight runs off 13 balls.

Mandhana, after a few fortunate edges, settled into her rhythm, delivering some exquisite strokes through the covers and powerful pulls. She achieved her half-century off 61 balls, providing a much-needed anchor for India's innings amid Australia's relentless seam attack.

The pressure mounted for the visitors when Tahlia McGrath took a spectacular catch at fine leg to remove Mandhana for 58. Shortly after, Alana King dismissed Deepti Sharma, leaving India struggling with half of their lineup back in the dugout.

By the 35th over, India's situation continued to deteriorate, even with captain Harmanpreet at the crease. The skipper, struggling to score freely, was at 33 from 59 balls, while Richa Ghosh attempted to build momentum from the other end.

Ghosh was eventually caught by Georgia Voll after a diving catch, contributing 23 runs from 38 balls, as Sophie Molineux claimed her wicket in the 33rd over. Ghosh attempted a cut shot but couldn't control it, with the extra bounce complicating matters for her.

Kashvee Gautam came in next, playing cautiously. By the 35th over, India was at 145/6, with Harmanpreet still at the crease but lacking support. Australia's bowlers, particularly Molineux and King, kept applying pressure, limiting India's scoring opportunities.

King's exceptional bowling throughout the match led to Ghosh's dismissal and kept India's scoring rate painfully slow. A close LBW appeal against Gautam was turned down, but King delivered a fine over, making the ball leap from the pitch. Meanwhile, Molineux maintained her disciplined approach.

As the match progressed, India faced an uphill task. With only 15 overs remaining, Harmanpreet needed to lead the innings and rely on her lower-order batters for a remarkable recovery. Australia's strategic bowling and sharp fielding had firmly placed them in control, and India needed a significant partnership to pose a challenge.

The Indian captain raised her bat after scoring her 23rd ODI fifty, marking her sixth against the Australians, injecting some much-needed momentum into the Indian innings.

The game's pivotal moment occurred when Gardner struck again, dismissing Harmanpreet with another brilliant diving catch by Voll, marking the seventh time Gardner had dismissed the Indian captain in international play.

Without a set batter towards the end, India's lower order faltered as Gardner returned to claim her third wicket, with Kranti Gaud falling to Molineux's hands. Shree Charani also saw her innings cut short by Schutt, who claimed her second wicket. Though Kashvee showcased her skills, she was ultimately run out in the penultimate over, leading to India being bowled out for 214 runs.

Brief Scores: India 214/10 in 48.3 overs (Smriti Mandhana 58, Harmanpreet Kaur 53; Ashleigh Gardner 3-33, Megan Schutt 2-42) against Australia.