Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner celebrates her century during the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup cricket match between New Zealand and Australia at Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore, India, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP
Australia has Ashleigh Gardner (115, 83b, 16×4, 1×6) to thank for its 89-run victory over New Zealand in the Women’s ODI World Cup at the Holkar Stadium on Wednesday (October 1, 2025).
The Women in Yellow extended their purple patch in ODIs against the White Ferns (16 games unbeaten) with this 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 in the face of adversity. The Aussies had slumped from 81 for one in 10 overs to 128 for five in 21.2, a period where Amelia Kerr (10-0-54-2) and Lea Tahuhu (8-0-42-3) had a grip on things.
Amelia was bowling exceptionally well in that phase, regularly deceiving the Australians with her variations. Another reason why Gardner’s 115 — the highest score in ODIs for a batter coming in at No. 6 or lower — deserves high praise.
Gardner put the Kiwis on the back foot with her aggressive strokeplay and forged vital partnerships with Tahlia McGrath (26), Sophie Molineux (14) and Kim Garth (38). By the time Gardner was caught off Bree Illing in the 47th over, she had already taken Australia past the 300-run mark.
In between, she played some lovely shots to entertain the festive crowd. Though the biggest applause was reserved for Gardner’s superb off-drive to reach her century, the all-rounder’s best stroke of the evening came a little earlier — an inside-out shot over extra-cover off Eden Carson to get to 96.
Later, New Zealand committed harakiri in the first over of the run chase, with Georgia Plimmer getting run out for a diamond duck. Suzie Bates, who called for the single that led to Plimmer’s undoing, was castled by Molineux shortly.
Losing the openers without a run on the board took the fizz out of the New Zealand essay. The Kiwis’ innings meandered along after that, with the asking rate climbing ever so steeply. The only silver lining from their batting effort was skipper Sophie Devine’s hard-fought hundred (112, 112b, 12×4, 3×6), which helped New Zealand at least score 237 in 43.2 overs.
The night, and rightly so, belonged to the other 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.
Published – October 01, 2025 03:43 pm IST
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