3rd ODI: Garth and Harris come in as Australia elect to bat first against unchanged India

New Delhi, Sep 20 (IANS) Australia have won the toss and elected to bat first against India in the women's ODI series decider at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday. The series is currently locked at 1-1, and winner of Saturday’s game will clinch the series, and get a big boost to their Women’s ODI World Cup preparations.

After winning the toss, Australia skipper Alyssa Healy said Kim Garth and Grace Harris are in the playing eleven and replace Darcie Brown and Annabel Sutherland. “Going to have a bat today. Let them run around in the heat today and see how they go. Had a bad day (via a record 102-run loss in second ODI), which doesn't define us as a group.”

“We know what we need to do. Need to create more pressure for longer periods of time. Just adapting quickly to different conditions is going to be important. Start times will be a little different (in the WC),” she said.

India, buoyed by their commanding 102-run win in New Chandigarh, will look to clinch their first-ever bilateral series victory over Australia in ODIs. The Indian team will also be a sporting a special pink jersey in Saturday's game to promote Breast Cancer Awareness.

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur said India are fielding an unchanged playing eleven, which means Renuka Singh Thakur is fine to bowl after going out mid-way in the 17th over of the second ODI in New Chandigarh.

“We talk about playing good cricket, doesn't matter what we do first or second. Playing our best cricket, that is something that always keeps us in the game. Want to go in with the same positive mindset today,” she said.

Saturday’s game will be played on the centre pitch, with former Australia player Rachael Haynes anticipating that its flat nature means the surface will be full of runs for the team batting first.

Deep Dasgupta, former India wicketkeeper-batter, opined that the pitch may be a little slow in the first half due to hot weather and the venue hosting Delhi Premier League (DPL) games in August and may be good to bat under lights.

Playing XIs

India: Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Sneh Rana, Kranti Goud, and Renuka Singh Thakur

Australia: Alyssa Healy (captain & wk), Georgia Voll, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Grace Harris, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Georgia Wareham, Alana King, Kim Garth, and Megan Schutt

--IANS

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