Australia's all-conquering cricket women have been given a wake-up call with their World Cup defence approaching as India handed Alyssa Healy's side their biggest ever defeat in one-day international annals in Punjab.
Healy herself admitted the champions had been "outplayed" in New Chandigarh on Wednesday (Thursday AEST) as they suffered a 102-run loss, a thumping so heavy that it even surpassed the Australians' previous record 92-run defeat to England in Birmingham 52 years ago.
It was a warning for the team with the World Cup starting in less than a fortnight in India and Sri Lanka, while also setting up a fascinating ODI series decider on Saturday in Delhi with the series locked at 1-1.
India's hero as they celebrated their first home ODI win over Australia in 18 years and 206 days was their imperious opener Smriti Mandhana, who hammered 117, featuring 14 boundaries and four sixes, off just 91 balls in their total of 292.
Australia had chased down a total of 7-281 comfortably in the first match at New Chandigarh but this time, asked to pull off their highest ever chase, never really got going as Annabel Sutherland's 45 off 42 balls and Ellyse Perry's 44 off 61 proved their most significant contributions in a total of 190.
Healy had won the toss and inserted the home side in baking conditions, looking to prepare for the World Cup, and reckoned she had no regrets about doing so.
"I mean, it's good preparation for the World Cup, isn't it?" she said. "You don't get to choose every time.
"So no regrets, not really. I just thought India were pretty good today in all facets of the game, and we probably got outplayed a little bit, but it's good to have these opportunities, heading into do-or-die World Cup matches."
Australia lacked the spark that Phoebe Litchfield had provided in the opening match with her sizzling innings of 88 as she missed the match with a low-grade quad strain.
Her replacement Georgia Voll was out in the first over, bowled by Renuka Singh for a duck, and Australia then got bogged down amid some fine bowling by Kranti Goud, who got the key wicket of Healy, caught in the deep for nine, amid her haul of 3-29.
Earlier, Mandhana had been severe on Australia's attack and had it not been for the accurate offspin of Ash Gardner, the target would have been even higher.
Gardner took 2-39 in her 10 overs, the only Aussie bowler to concede less than four an over.
Young fast bowler Darcie Brown was also impressive, taking three late wickets (3-42) as India went on a late charge.
Tahlia McGrath enjoyed a good day in the field, dismissing Mandhana and running out Goud, but when the allrounder got caught for 16 off the spin of Deepti Sharma, who took 2-24 to go with a breezy knock of 40, Australia's hopes were sunk.
AUSTRALIA WOMEN'S BIGGEST DEFEATS IN ODIs
India - lost by 102 runs (New Chandigarh) 17 September 2025
England - lost by 92 runs (Birmingham) 28 July 1973
India - lost by 88 runs (Chennai) 28 December 2004
South Africa - lost by 84 runs (North Sydney) 7 February 2024
New Zealand - lost by 82 runs (Lincoln) 9 March 2008
