PERTH, Australia – In a gripping start to the one-off pink ball Test at WACA Ground, the Indian women’s cricket team crumbled to 198 all out in their first innings against Australia on Friday. All-rounder Annabel Sutherland stole the show with a magnificent four-wicket burst, dismantling the top and middle order on a bouncy Perth pitch.
Australia captain Alyssa Healy won the toss and astutely inserted India to bat first under the lights. The decision paid early dividends as opener Smriti Mandhana fell for a duck-like 4 runs, setting a shaky tone. Pratika Rawal fought back briefly with three boundaries but managed only 18 before Sutherland struck again.
Shefali Verma promised much with a fluent start but departed for 35, unable to capitalize. Enter Jemimah Rodrigues, who anchored the innings with a resolute 52 off 84 balls, featuring seven crisp boundaries. Her knock provided a semblance of stability, but partnerships eluded India as wickets tumbled at regular intervals.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s 19 runs offered little resistance, while Deepti Sharma’s 7-run flop compounded woes. Wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh faced 41 balls for 11, Sneha Rana added 5, and Kranti Gaud just 1. Kashvee Gautam remained unbeaten on 34 off 54 balls, but it was too little too late as Sayali Satghare contributed 7.
Sutherland’s figures of 4/46 from 17 overs highlighted her dominance, supported by Lucy Hamilton’s 3/31 and Darcie Brown’s two strikes. Ashley Gardner chipped in with Ghosh’s wicket. India’s failure to build on the bouncy surface underscored their struggles, handing Australia a prime opportunity to press ahead in this historic day-night clash.