India Women's First Triumph Against Australia In 1995 (Source: @WCI_Official/x.com , @ICC/x.com)
Women’s cricket may have risen in India later than men’s, but how it has flourished over time is truly inspiring. Starting from scratch, the team rose from the ashes and established itself as one of the formidable forces of the Women’s cricket world.
As the Women’s Cricket World Cup nears, the India Women’s side is facing the Australia Women’s in a three-match ODI series. The hosts may have stumbled in the opener, but history reminds us of a far brighter chapter, the day India Women toppled the Aussies for the very first time. A landmark moment worth revisiting.
India Women Script History In The Second ODI Of 1995
Making a debut in the Women’s cricket world, India Women played their first ever cricket match in 1976, but faced Australia Women in the ODIs for the first time in 1978. That first meeting ended in heartbreak, and the wait for glory stretched painfully long. Seventeen years later, in 1995, India finally celebrated their maiden ODI victory over the mighty Aussies.
In the ODI series in 1995, India Women met Australia Women at Levin, and the rest is history. Put into a bowl, India’s attack came out firing, never allowing the Aussies to build momentum.
After Pramila Bhatt removed Captain Belinda Clark in 12 runs, the pressure mounted on them. Apart from Lisa Keighley's 42 and Zoe Goss’s 24, Australia failed to make an impact as they ended their innings in just 166 runs.
Chasing the total was not easy against Australia Women’s lethal bowling attack, but their determination paid off. After the early loss of Anju Jain, Arati Vaidya partnered with Sandhya Agarwal to steady the innings. Zoe Goss threatened with three key wickets, yet India’s grit eclipsed her effort.
With that, they chased down the total in just 48overs, and secured a 3-wicket victory. That landmark victory wasn’t just a result; it marked the dawn of a new era for Indian women’s cricket.
A Landmark Victory That Still Echoes Inspiration For Today’s Team
As the Women’s World Cup is approaching within just a few days, India Women's is facing Australia Women's in a three-match ODI series, marking the perfect warm-up for the marquee tournament. Facing the visitors in the first game at Mullanpur, Team India had a heartbreak.
After putting on a total of 281, depending on Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, and Harleen Deol’s half-centuries. But their struggles piled up in the second innings. While defending the total, Kranti Gaud secured Alyssa Healy early on, but Phoebe Litchfield and Beth Mooney’s game-changing partnership flipped the script, and they faced a heartbreaking 8-wicket defeat.
Standing on this disappointing moment, Team India’s first-ever triumph can be a massive inspiration as it indicates that self-belief can topple the biggest obstacles. With 17 years of heartbreak, a team travelled on an away surface and defeated the mighty side. The grit can be a massive inspiration for Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. can take a lesson in fighting back.
Smriti Mandhana can channel Sandhya Agarwal’s courage, where captain Harmanpreet Kaur can make an impact with her weapon. As Pramila Bhatt, Purnima Rau, and Sangita Dabir shattered Australia’s batting order in 1995, Sneh Rana, Kranti Gaud, and Deepti Sharma can replicate the dominance. With the next clash and a major tournament on the horizon, India Women’s belief and resilience could well be the spark that drives a memorable campaign.
