After being tasked to bowl first, the Indian pacers rose to the challenge, troubling the Australians with their adept skills in handling the new ball.
Amanjot’s drop of Phoebe Litchfield on the second delivery of the game was followed by Mandhana missing a catch at mid-off, offering the Aussie another opportunity.
However, the Indian opener’s ordeal was far from over. As Ellyse Perry (50) and Litchfield (63) stabilized the innings in the middle overs, Australia amassed a score of 200 with seven overs remaining.
The visitors were counting on Annabel Sutherland and Georgia Wareham to provide a strong finish. In the 44th over, Sutherland attempted a hefty slog against Deepti Sharma’s flighted delivery but managed only a top edge, sending the ball high in the air. Mandhana, positioned to take the catch, failed to secure it as the ball hit the ground.
— Virat Sharma (@ViratSharm39743) December 30, 2023
Although Sutherland’s subsequent play didn’t cause significant damage after the drop, Twitter users showed no mercy in criticizing the Indian star’s fielding, drawing comparisons to the less impressive fielding of India’s neighboring team known for wearing green.