India A Women completed a 281-run win over Australia A Women in the one-off multi-day game in Mohali. Australia A were bowled out for 164 in 76 overs while chasing 446 for victory on the final day. Niki Prasad led the India A bowling attack with five wickets, while Vaishnavi Sharma claimed three. India A had earlier scored 364 in their first innings and 257 in their second innings. Australia A had made 176 in their first innings, leaving India A with a sizeable target to defend. The final innings gave India A a chance to finish the match strongly.
Australia A began their chase with Rachel Trenaman and Tahlia Wilson, but neither could stay long enough to build a major partnership. Trenaman scored 26 from 80 balls and hit five fours before Niki Prasad dismissed her. Wilson made 28 from 59 balls, finding the boundary six times, before she was run out by Shabnam Shakil. Their wickets put Australia A under early pressure as India A continued to bowl with control. The visiting side needed a long partnership, but India A kept breaking their progress.
India A then moved quickly through the middle order. Courtney Webb was dismissed for 0 from two balls, trapped lbw by Niki Prasad. Charli Knott also failed to score, falling for 0 from 12 balls after being bowled by Vaishnavi Sharma. Anika Learoyd made 0 from eight balls before Sharma dismissed her lbw. Nicole Faltum was the next wicket, scoring five from 24 balls before being bowled by Shuchi Upadhyay. With Australia A reduced to 73 for 6, India A were firmly in charge. The regular fall of wickets made it difficult for Australia A to build momentum.
Tess Flintoff provided the main resistance for Australia A, scoring 58 from 146 balls with nine fours. Lilly Mills also stayed at the crease for a long period and made 32 from 99 balls, including four fours. Flintoff was eventually caught by Sayali Satghare off Niki Prasad, while Mills was dismissed lbw by Vaishnavi Sharma. Their efforts extended the innings, but Australia A could not produce another strong partnership. India A kept the pressure on and continued to move closer to the final wicket. Both batters spent valuable time at the crease, but their resistance could not change the final result.
Sianna Ginger scored 1 from four balls before being caught by Tejal Hasabnis off Niki Prasad. Milly Illingworth then made four from 17 balls before being caught and bowled by Prasad. Frankie Nicklin remained unbeaten on 2 from five balls, but Australia A were eventually dismissed for 164 in 76 overs. The innings ended well short of the target, giving India A a 281-run victory. The result also completed a strong final-day bowling effort from the home side. Once the last recognised resistance was removed, India A needed only the final wickets to complete the win.
Niki Prasad finished with five wickets for 50 runs from 29 overs, including 10 maidens and an economy rate of 1.72, while Vaishnavi Sharma took three wickets for 58 runs from 30 overs, with 11 maidens and an economy rate of 1.93. Shuchi Upadhyay claimed one wicket for 24 runs from 10 overs, with an economy rate of 2.40, and Sayali Satghare finished with figures of 0 for 19 from four overs. Prasad was named Player of the Match after her five-wicket effort. India A’s bowlers maintained control through the innings and sealed the match with Australia A unable to reach the 446-run target. Their combined figures reflected the pressure maintained across the innings until the final wicket fell.
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