Australian slams 57-ball ton against India as records tumble in crazy runfest

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September 21, 2025 — 11.23am

Australia’s Beth Mooney crunched a century in 57 balls, only to be outdone by Indian opener Smriti Mandhana who hammered her own hundred from just 50 balls.

But Mooney’s 75-ball innings of 138 set the platform for a mammoth total of 412, and a 43-run victory in the third ODI, sealing a series win for Australia.

The match was one of the craziest in women’s ODI history - if anything Australia left some runs out there after failing to bat out their 50 overs in setting a target that was ultimately too great for India.

Here are some of the remarkable achievements in Delhi, which set an intriguing tone for the women’s world cup, which begins in India on September 30.

The runfest

Almost 800 runs (781) were scored in the match. The conditions, of course, were ideal for batting. The pitch was flat and the outfield lightning fast, but the sheer volume of runs sets a new benchmark for what is possible when the best women’s teams are in action.

Australia’s 412 (with 13 balls left in the innings) equalled the country’s record total against Denmark in Mumbai in 1997.

Mooney cracked her seventh international century.

In response, India were bowled out for 369 in 47 overs.

Only six times in ODI history has 400 been cracked, and they were all by strong, established nations against much weaker opponents.

Mooney and co.

The left-handed opener somehow still attracts less attention than famous teammates like Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry and Ash Gardner, but her record is superb.

Mooney’s 57-ball ton was (for a short time) the equal second fastest in women’s ODI history, equal with former Australian captain Karen Rolton and second to Meg Lanning’s 45-ball ton against New Zealand in 2012.

Mooney scored all around the wicket, with laps, sweeps, and down the ground shots. She struck 23 fours and one six before she was run out. It was her fourth ODI century and seventh in international cricket.

Then India’s in-form opening batter Smriti Mandhana (125 off 63) rattled up her own century from only 50 balls.

Mooney had plenty of able partners. Opening partner Georgia Voll made 81 (68), Perry (68 from 72 at No.3) and Gardner (39 from 24) also set a cracking pace.

What’s next

Having won the series 2-1, Australia have some talent to come back. Phoebe Litchfield has been nursing a niggle, while all-rounder Annabel Sutherland and fast bowler Darcie Brown missed the third ODI.

Australia’s World Cup squad:

Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

Healy’s team has a warm-up against England on September 28 in Bangalore, before group matches against New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England and South Africa.

Semi-finals are October 29 and 30, with the final in Mumbai (or Colombo) on November 2. Any matches involving Pakistan will be in Sri Lanka, hence Colombo is on standby.

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