Initially balanced, the one-off Test shifted on the third day, with Australia eyeing a 200-plus target against India at the Wankhede Stadium. Yet, India entered Sunday’s play with a clear strategy and unwavering determination.

Over the next three hours and 15 minutes, the home team flawlessly executed their plans, clinching an eight-wicket victory �marking their maiden Test win against Australia.

Securing consecutive Test wins within a week is no mean feat. India capitalized on their success against England, maintaining authoritative control over Australia, and showcasing their prowess. The team’s lack of Test cricket experience never once reflected in their performance. The efficient manner in which they wrapped up the Australian innings on the final day, claiming the last five wickets for a mere 28 runs, underscored their resilience.

Starting at 233 for 5, Australia aimed for a resilient partnership. However, Sneh Rana (4 for 63) and Rajeshwari Gayakwad (2 for 42) had different plans. Pooja Vastrakar struck early, dismissing Ashleigh Gardner with a well-executed yorker in the second over of the day.

India continued to tighten their grip as Rana, fueled by aggression following her three-wicket haul in the first innings, claimed Annabel Sutherland. Despite initial umpiring confusion, a timely referral to the TV umpire favored India, sparking Australia’s downfall.

Rana secured another wicket off the subsequent ball, while Gayakwad swiftly wrapped up the innings with two quick scalps.

Chasing 75 runs with over two sessions left, India’s innings began with a boundary by Shafali Verma, who soon fell to Kim Garth. Smriti Mandhana’s unbeaten 38 (61b, 6×4) anchored a crucial 51-run partnership with Richa Ghosh.

Despite an early reprieve by Beth Mooney, dropping Richa at slip off Gardner, the debutant steadied herself and consolidated the partnership with Mandhana, steering India closer to victory.

Richa’s dismissal by Tahlia McGrath, caught at mid-on, left India just 20 runs shy of a historic win. Jemimah Rodrigues accelerated India’s charge, striking a couple of boundaries before Mandhana sealed the momentous victory with a boundary shot.

Australia held on to the Women’s Ashes title in a nail-biting encounter against England during the second one-day international in Southampton. Despite a remarkable unbeaten century from England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt, the Australian team emerged victorious by a slender margin of three runs.

Chasing a target of 283 runs, England fell agonizingly short, finishing at 279/7. With five runs needed off the final delivery, Sciver-Brunt could only manage a single against Jess Jonassen, ending her innings at an unbeaten 111.

This triumph propelled Australia, the reigning double white-ball world champions, to an insurmountable 8-6 points lead in the multi-format series. Even if England were to win the third and final ODI, they could only hope for a draw at 8-8, allowing Australia to retain the Ashes.

A pivotal moment in the match came during Australia’s last over, where Georgia Wareham smashed an impressive 26 runs off England’s fast bowler, Lauren Bell.

“We still haven’t played our best cricket yet, which is a little bit scary at times, but we’re obviously really chuffed,” expressed Australia captain Alyssa Healy. Leading the team in the absence of regular skipper Meg Lanning, Healy emphasized their determination to secure the Ashes.

England captain Heather Knight praised Sciver-Brunt’s exceptional performance and expressed disappointment at falling short. Despite their comeback with three consecutive victories after being 6-0 down, England still yearned for their first Ashes series win since 2014.

Australia, after being sent in to bat, posted a total of 282/7, with star all-rounder Ellyse Perry contributing 91 runs and Annabel Sutherland adding a solid 50. Wareham’s explosive hitting in the final over propelled her to an unbeaten 37, including three sixes.

England’s chase began strongly with Tammy Beaumont scoring 60 runs. However, Australia’s leg-spinner Alana King, named the player of the match, picked up crucial wickets, finishing with figures of 3/44 from her allotted 10 overs.

Sciver-Brunt’s valiant effort kept England’s hopes alive, but the target of 15 runs from Jonassen’s final over proved insurmountable for the all-rounder.

Australia faced a precarious situation at 158/5 before Sutherland’s partnership with Perry, worth 81 runs for the sixth wicket, stabilized the innings. Sophie Ecclestone denied Perry a century, dismissing her after being dropped twice, and later claimed the wicket of Sutherland as well.

England, who had previously achieved a record ODI chase, faced a similar task this time but fell short. King played a crucial role, dismissing Knight and then deceiving Beaumont with a well-spun delivery, causing England to slump from 107/2 to 144/5.

Sciver-Brunt’s impressive hundred, comprising nine fours, made for a tense finish. However, her last-ball attempt to win the game with a six only resulted in a single run.

In cricket, Australia is born to win titles. Women or men, ODI or T20, Australia is ruling everywhere. On Sunday (February 26), Australia’s women won the women’s T20 World Cup for the sixth time after defeating South Africa. And after winning the title, the number of titles won by Cricket Australia stands at 21.

In the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup, the Australian women’s team won the trophy for the third time in a row and the sixth time in total, defeating the host South Africa by 19 runs. Not only did they not play in the finals in the first edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup since its inception. They have played the final every time since the second season. Meanwhile, Australia has won 21 trophies in women’s and men’s cricket. Where there is no one near them. Women won the T20 World Cup in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020, and 2023. In addition to T20, the Australian women’s team has also won the ODI World Cup seven times.

Starting from 1978, they are the champions of 1982, 1988, 1997, 2005, 2013, and lastly 2022. Meanwhile, Australia’s men’s team is no less. There is no one close to them in the ODI World Cup. Australia is the five-time champion of the men’s ODI World Cup. Azira last won the ODI title in 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2015. Australia also won the 2021 T20 World Cup. Meanwhile, apart from the World Cup, the Australian men’s team also won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2006 and 2009. With 13 women’s and 8 men’s titles, Australia’s total titles stand at 21.

Australia won the women’s T20 World Cup for the third time in a row by defeating South Africa by 19 runs on Sunday (February 26). Australian team captain Mag Lenning became a witness of history by winning the title.

The Australian women’s team has been playing under the captaincy of Mag Lanning for a long time. After winning the title as captain on Sunday, not only in Australia but in the history of men’s or women’s cricket, there is no more successful captain in terms of trophies than Lenning.

Earlier, Lenning shared the top spot with home captain Ricky Ponting after winning four ICC trophies. But yesterday Lenning won the fifth title of his captain’s career. Under Ponting’s leadership, Australia won the 2003 and 2007 ODI World Cups and the 2006 and 2009 Champions Trophies. Under Lenning, Australia won 2014, 2018, 2020, and 2023 T20 World Cups. And Australia won the 2022 ODI World Cup. Meanwhile, Australia won the third T20 title in a row and the sixth in history by defeating South Africa. Australia’s women’s team has played in the finals every time except the first edition of the T20 World Cup.

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine invited Australia to bat after winning the toss at Pearl on Saturday (February 11). Batting first, wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy’s half-century and captain Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry’s two forties put up a challenging score of 173 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs. In response, to Ashleigh Gardner’s career-best bowling, New Zealand was bowled out for just 76 runs. The tournament record of 97 runs was won by the five-time champions. Despite losing the wicket of Beth Mooney at the beginning of the day, Healy and Lanning built the foundation of big runs for Australia. Healy scored 55 runs off 38 balls. He had 9 fours in his innings. Lanning scored 41 runs off 33 balls with 7 fours. After the departure of these two, no one else could score a big run except Elise Perry. Perry scored 40 runs off just 22 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes. Amelia Carr took 3 wickets for 23 runs for New Zealand. Lia Tahu also took 3 wickets with 37 runs. Jess Carr and Hayley Jensen took 1 wicket each.

In response, New Zealand came down to bat under Gardner’s cannon. Amelia Carr scored 21 runs off 30 balls. Apart from him, only two others have reached double-digit runs. Bernadine Bezuidenhou scored 14 runs and Jess Carr scored 10 runs. In the end, New Zealand was all out for just 76 runs. Gardner took a career-best 5 wickets for just 12 runs in 3 overs against the Tasman Sea neighbors. Megan Scott took 2 wickets. Darcy Brown and Elise Perry took 1 wicket each.

Meanwhile, in another game of the day, England defeated West Indies by 7 wickets with 33 balls in hand. On this day, West Indies won the toss and batted first, scoring 42 from 32 balls by Hayley Mathews and 34 runs from Shemain Campbell’s 37 balls. Sophie Ecclestone took 3 wickets for 23 runs for England. Besides, Sciver-Brant and Sarah Glenn took one wicket each. In reply, Sophia Dunkley stormed in at the start. He scored 34 runs off 18 balls with 4 fours and 1 six. Danny Watt scored 11 runs and Alice Capsey scored 13 runs. The pair of Nat Sciver-Brant and captain Heather Knight gave England a big win in the fourth pair. Nat Skiver scored 40 runs off 30 balls. His innings included 6 fours as well as 1 six. Heather Knight scored 32 runs off 4 fours and 1 six off 22 balls. Henry took 2 wickets for 30 runs for West Indies. Affy Fletcher took the remaining wicket.