The Australia – India ODI series has been a tough pill for India to swallow, especially after winning the T20I leg earlier this month. In the first ODI at Brisbane, the visitors were bundled out for a modest 214, which the Australians chased down comfortably with six wickets to spare. The second game at Hobart today followed a similar script; despite a much better effort from the Indian batters to reach 251, fueled by half-centuries from Harmanpreet Kaur (54) and Pratika Rawal (52), the total proved no match for a clinical Australian chase. Georgia Voll’s maiden century and Phoebe Litchfield’s aggressive 80 meant the hosts overhauled the target in just 36.1 overs, handing Australia an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ODI leg.
Squads:
Australia Women’s Cricket Team
Sophie Molineux, Tahlia McGrath, Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham
India Women’s Cricket Team
Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Kranti Gaud, Kashvee Gautam, Richa Ghosh, Gunalan Kamalini, Amanjot Kaur, Pratika Rawal, Sneh Rana, Renuka Singh, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Sree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma, Deepti Sharma
Players to watch out:
Phoebe Litchfield
Phoebe was in devastating form in the 2nd ODI, playing a blistering knock that effectively took the game away from India. She smashed 80 runs off just 62 deliveries, maintaining a strike rate of 129.03 while peppering the boundary with 11 fours and a six. Her aggressive start at the top of the order allowed Australia to chase down the target of 252 with ease, as she fell just twenty runs short of what would have been a well-deserved century.
Harmanpreet Kaur
The Indian captain anchored the innings in the 2nd ODI with a veteran’s composure, helping her side recover after a few early setbacks. She notched up 54 runs from 70 balls, including 5 boundaries and a maximum, marking her second consecutive half-century of the tour. Her partnership with the lower order was crucial in pushing India’s total to 251/9, showing she is still the most reliable pillar in the middle order.
Ashleigh Gardner
Ashleigh remains the most consistent threat in the Australian bowling attack, finishing her spell today with an impressive 2 for 39. She was instrumental in breaking India’s momentum, most notably cleaning up Smriti Mandhana just as she was looking dangerous. Her ability to keep things tight and strike at the right time has been a major factor in Australia taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ODI leg of the series.
Deepti Sharma
Deepti continued to be the tactical brain of the Indian bowling unit, even on a day where the Australian batters were in top gear. She finished the match with figures of 2 for 32 from her five overs in the 2nd ODI, showing great control by picking up the wickets of Annabel Sutherland and Beth Mooney toward the end of the chase. While the match didn’t go India’s way, her economy remained the most disciplined among the visitors’ attack.
Pitch:
The surface at Bellerive Ovalis a classic game of two halves deck. The ground sees seamers find significant swing and nip early in the innings, particularly with the new ball. However, as the lacquer wears off, the drop-in wicket typically flattens out into a batting-friendly paradise with true bounce. Spinners often find it difficult to extract sharp turn here.
Weather:
The weather in Hobart is expected to be cloudy throughout both the day and night. You can expect a high temperature of 22°C and a low of 11°C. There is a minimal 10% chance of rain, with humidity levels around 59% and a 13-mph wind coming from the northeast.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Sophie Molineux, Nicola Carey, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Georgia Wareham, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma
Match Details:
Date – February 28, 2026
Time – 9:20 AM IST
Venue – Bellerive Oval, Hobart
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on Jio Hotstar and telecasted on Star Sports.
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