Australia Women began their ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 campaign in style with a commanding 89-run victory over New Zealand in Indore, powered by a sensational century from Ashleigh Gardner.
Walking in at 113/4 with Australia reeling against one of their fiercest rivals, Gardner turned the game on its head with a blistering 115 off 83 balls. Her innings, marked by clean hitting and remarkable clarity under pressure, ensured Australia posted a formidable total that their bowlers later defended with ease.
Gardner’s knock carried echoes of her maiden ODI century earlier this year during the Women’s Ashes in Hobart. On that occasion, Australia were in dire straits at 59 for 4 before Gardner’s 102 (102) salvaged the innings, eventually sealing an 86-run win. The parallels between Hobart and Indore highlighted her growing stature as a match-winner in pressure situations.
Reflecting on her mindset during the innings, Gardner explained, “I was just trying to hit the boundary riders hard, run really hard with my partner and just be really clear in my thinking. I guess that’s what I was able to do today which is why I was just so clear in where I wanted to score. And I was just really proactive with taking positive options because if I go into my shell, that’s probably when I won’t bat the best. So for me it’s sticking to my strengths. Yes, the scoreboard was saying something, but I was trying to take that out of it.”
Gardner revealed how she assessed the conditions and set a clear target when she arrived at the crease: “I always knew that we probably needed around the 320. I think it was maybe eight overs to go when I was batting with Kim Garth, and I said we ideally need about 310-320 here minimum. I guess as you saw there today, once you kind of got set, you can really flourish from there, and once you had the pace of the wicket, that really helped as well.”
She added that clarity was key in navigating a tricky surface: “I think when people got in trouble, it was a little bit two-paced at times and they probably were just second-guessing themselves rather than just having that clarity and I guess the shot decisions that they wanted to make. For me, it was obviously being able to do that and just being really clear in my mind because when I’m clear and I’m not thinking too much, I think that’s when I play my best innings.”
While Gardner’s innings grabbed the headlines, she was quick to praise Sophie Molineux’s stellar performance with the ball. Returning after a spate of injuries, Molineux announced her comeback with figures of 3 for 25, dismantling New Zealand’s middle order.
Gardner was effusive in her admiration: “Soph’s is one of the hardest workers I know. She had a really bad streak of injuries but to see her resilience is just a testament to her character as a person, her willingness to push herself to the extent to try and get back on the side… To see her having an impact straight away I’m just so pumped for her.”
The win once again highlighted the depth in Australia’s batting unit, something Gardner believes is one of their greatest strengths: “The best thing about this side is we genuinely bat all the way down… Kim Garth, definitely not a no 9, she came at 9, she has an amazing technique, and is someone that can score all-around the ground.”
With momentum firmly on their side, Australia now turn their attention to their next clash against Sri Lanka. Gardner stressed the team’s ability to adapt across conditions as their biggest advantage: “Well I think that this team really does really well is, adapt. We have played in a lot of places around the world… We will try to adapt quickly, adapt to different challenges thrown to us.”
Gardner’s century not only rescued Australia from a precarious situation but also set the tone for their World Cup campaign. Her ability to thrive under pressure, combined with the team’s depth and adaptability, makes Australia once again the team to beat.
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