Australia v India: third women’s cricket one-day international

Key events

Australia XI

Australia: Phoebe Litchfield, Georgia Voll, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney (wk), Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath (c), Sophie Molineux, Alana King, Kim Garth, Megan Schutt

Tahlia McGrath reveals that the hosts are unchanged from the second ODI on Sunday. Australia to carry their enviable mix of pace and spin onto the Waca.

Tahlia McGrath is happy for Australia to bat first, says she would have elected to do so if the toss went her way.

It is a really nice place to bat. A really good challenge for our bowling attack, getting our length right because when you do get that there is a lot on offer, change of venue, slight change of tactics. Really crucial to finish well. We are looking to be ruthless and finish off the series.

India win the toss and elect to bowl

Harmanpreet Kaur calls heads correctly and the tourists want to make first use of the famous bounce of the Waca wicket.

We are going to bowl first because of the conditions. I think the pitch will definitely suit us.

Completing – or avoiding – a series sweep is not the only lure for Australia and India in this third ODI with the match part of the ongoing ICC Women’s Championship.

Australia lead the current multi-year tournament with 32 points from 20 matches ahead of England, but could still be chased down by third-placed India who are seven points behind with seven games remaining. Two points are awarded for a win.

Two-time defending champions Australia have four games in hand: this clash with India and the three to come in New Zealand.

Young opener Georgia Voll will be given another opportunity to impress in her third ODI against India after an unbeaten half-century on debut was followed by a maiden international ton. The 21-year-old has since been added to the Australia squad to tour New Zealand for three more ODIs with the first to be played next Thursday.

Experienced batter Beth Mooney, who will take the gloves again today against India, has liked what she has seen from Voll since the youngster joined the Australia set up.

She’s taken to it like a duck to water. She’s certainly done everything she can to make sure she keeps her name up in lights with the Australian selectors. She knows her game pretty well after playing a few years in domestic cricket so I think that’s really helped her come into international cricket.

Preamble

Martin Pegan

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the third women’s one-day international between Australia and India. The hosts are chasing a clean sweep in the series after making a statement with five-wicket and 122-run victories in the first two matches played in Brisbane.

Australia have backed emerging talents Phoebe Litchfield and Georgia Voll to open the innings with great success, while Ellyse Perry added a century in the second match against India as the hosts piled on 371 runs. Megan Schutt set up the win in the first ODI with five for 19, as Annabel Sutherland took four for 39 in the next game if only to demonstrate Australia’s range of options and versatility with the ball.

India crashed to their lowest ODI score in 12 years when bowled out for 100 in the opening match but bounced back to find some form in their next outing. Richa Ghosh, Jemimah Rodrigues, Minnu Mani and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur all made strong contributions with the bat even while chasing Australia’s third-highest women’s ODI total. The 20-year-old leg-spinner Priya Mishra has been a joy to watch and hopefully is included in the India XI again today, after taking six scalps across her first four ODIs but bearing the brunt of an Australian onslaught in the second clash. But either way, India will want to show that they can match it with the best ahead of a home Women’s ODI World Cup next year.

It’s a typically hot one in Perth today with the temperature already above 35 degrees and expected to hit a high of 39 before a chance of thunderstorms in the late afternoon and evening.

First ball at the Waca will be at 12.20pm local time or 3.20pm AEDT. I’ll guide us through the first innings, and let James Wallace take the reins for the second dig.

Team and toss news will be coming shortly. In the meantime, get in touch with any comments, questions, thoughts and predictions – shoot me an email or find me @martinpegan on Bluesky or X. Let’s get into it!