The second ODI between India and Australian women ended in a defeat for the girls in blue. India lost a very close contest by five wickets, on the last ball of the innings. India scored 274 in the first innings while Australia chased the score down in exactly 50 overs. The match went down to the last ball of the 50th.
The experienced Jhulan Goswami was bowling the last over when she bowled a waist-high no-ball to Nicola Carey. Carey was caught out but then the umpires rules in favour of the Aussies and gave it a no-ball.
On the last ball of the match, Carey took two runs to secure a nail-biting win for her team. Australia won the match and also the series by 2-0 with one match left to be played. If not for the no-ball, India would have won the match. The Indian fans and pundits were annoyed after the no-ball.
Smriti Mandhana, who scored a brilliant knock of 86 runs at the top of the order broke her silence on the no-ball issue. "We have not really seen the ball yet as a team. We were out there on the field, so it is very hard to judge if it was a waist-high no-ball or not. It is too early for us to call, we have to see the ball and we will have a look at it, said Mandhana at the post-match presentation.
"When these things go in your favour, you are really happy but would not add up to the controversy. I have seriously not looked at the ball yet," Mandhana added.
Take a look at the controversial no-ball:
"I thought about where I need to improve, the support staff and everyone were behind me. So happy to get some runs under my belt, especially in the first innings. Getting out on 86 did hurt. I would have felt better if I had continued," she said.
India was cruising to victory till one point. In fact, the fifth Australian wicket fell when they required 97 runs in the last 10 overs. Mandhana also pointed out that the Indian team lost the match in the final few stages of the game. "The pacers were really good. It was a perfect game for us until the last 20 overs. Our pacers used the bouncers really well. They will definitely be looking forward to the pink ball (Test), but our eyes are on the third ODI," Mandhana added.