Australia made history in the Women’s World Cup by scoring the highest team total ever, led by outstanding performances from Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, and Ash Gardner. They amassed 338 runs in 49.5 overs, surpassing South Africa’s previous record of 319 for seven in the current edition’s first semi-final on October 29 in Guwahati.
Winning the toss, Australia chose to bat first in Navi Mumbai amidst a looming rain threat. Despite India dismissing Alyssa Healy early on, Phoebe Litchfield took charge and aggressively tackled the Indian bowlers, achieving a remarkable hundred in just 77 balls, the fastest century in Women’s World Cup knockouts, before being dismissed for 119 runs.
Expressing her delight, Litchfield acknowledged the team effort in crossing the 300-run mark, crediting their strategic approach to assessing the wicket. Partnering with Perry, who contributed 77 runs off 88 balls, they built a solid partnership of 155 runs. Gardner then took on the bowlers, scoring 63 off 45 balls, helping Australia set a challenging target despite losing three wickets in the final over.
This extraordinary performance marked the second-highest score in Women’s World Cup knockouts, with Australia’s highest being 356 for five in the 2022 final against England. India now faces the daunting task of achieving the highest run-chase in women’s ODIs to secure victory.