AU-W vs IN-W Prediction: Who will win today's Australia-India 1st ODI?

Australia Women and India Women are set to lock horns in the first match of a three-match ODI series on Tuesday, September 21, at the Harrup Park in Mackay.

Australia, led by Meg Lanning, have always been a brute force at home. However, the hosts are weakened, as Jess Jonassen and Megan Schutt won’t be a part of the white-ball series. Jonassen is currently ICC’s number-one ranked ODI bowler, and has won her team plenty of games.

But she’s not going to play this series after suffering a bone stress injury in her tibia. Schutt, meanwhile, gave birth recently. Her absence is most likely to hurt the Aussies, as she has made crucial breakthroughs for the team in the powerplay and death overs.

Tayla Vlaeminck hasn’t been included for the series either. Matthew Mott, Australia Women’s head coach, said that Vlaeminck is yet to fully recover. In her absence, Ellyse Perry, among others, will have to shoulder a bulk of the responsibility in the bowling department.

Meanwhile, India, led by Mithali Raj, will fancy their chances in the first ODI, as Australia don’t have some of their key players. Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur are fresh from playing in the Women’s Hundred as well.

Rodrigues and Mandhana were in exceptional form with the bat, winning the Player of the Match award quite a few times. Sharma also contributed heavily, both with bat and ball. With momentum behind them, India will look to perform well.

The last time India played a game in Australia, they were comprehensively beaten. Alyssa Healy’s half-century blew them away in the final of the 2020 T20 World Cup at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. Before that, they also lost the tri-nation ODI series.

Can India make a winning start to the series?

India’s batters are in decent form, having gained momentum in the Hundred. The likes of Rodrigues and Mandhana gave a good account of themselves in the recently-concluded 100-ball tournament.

With Australia not having some of their key bowlers, it’s an opportunity for the Indian batters to show their class. So India will go into the first ODI as the marginal favourites.