AUS vs NZ Womens World Cup: Australia win toss, choose to bat in opposition to New Zealand

Australia has Ashleigh Gardner (115, 83b, 16×4, 1×6) to thank for its 89-run victory over New Zealand within the Women’s ODI World Cup on the Holkar Stadium on Wednesday (October 1, 2025).

The Women in Yellow prolonged their purple patch in ODIs in opposition to the White Ferns (16 video games unbeaten) with this end result on the red-letter day of Ayudha Pooja.

Australia’s path to amassing 326 in 49.3 overs was all about Gardner remaining steadfast within the face of adversity. The Aussies had slumped from 81 for one in 10 overs to 128 for 5 in 21.2, a interval the place Amelia Kerr (10-0-54-2) and Lea Tahuhu (8-0-42-3) had a grip on issues.

Amelia was bowling exceptionally nicely in that section, usually deceiving the Australians together with her variations. Another motive why Gardner’s 115 — the best rating in ODIs for a batter coming in at No. 6 or decrease — deserves excessive reward.

Gardner put the Kiwis on the again foot together with her aggressive strokeplay and solid important partnerships with Tahlia McGrath (26), Sophie Molineux (14) and Kim Garth (38). By the time Gardner was caught off Bree Illing within the forty seventh over, she had already taken Australia previous the 300-run mark.

In between, she performed some pretty pictures to entertain the festive crowd. Though the largest applause was reserved for Gardner’s very good off-drive to achieve her century, the all-rounder’s finest stroke of the night got here a bit earlier — an inside-out shot over extra-cover off Eden Carson to get to 96.

Later, New Zealand dedicated harakiri within the first over of the run chase, with Georgia Plimmer getting run out for a diamond duck. Suzie Bates, who referred to as for the only that led to Plimmer’s undoing, was castled by Molineux shortly.

Losing the openers with out a run on the board took the fizz out of the New Zealand essay. The Kiwis’ innings meandered alongside after that, with the asking charge climbing ever so steeply. The solely silver lining from their batting effort was skipper Sophie Devine’s hard-fought hundred (112, 112b, 12×4, 3×6), which helped New Zealand not less than rating 237 in 43.2 overs.

The night time, and rightly so, belonged to the opposite centurion.

The scores: Australia 326 in 49.3 overs (Phoebe Litchfield 45, Ellyse Perry 33, Ashleigh Gardner 115, Kim Garth 38, Jess Kerr 3/59, Lea Tahuhu 3/42) bt New Zealand 237 in 43.2 overs (Amelia Kerr 33, Sophie Devine 112, Sophie Molineux 3/25, Annabel Sutherland 3/26); Toss: Australia; PoM: Gardner.