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The reigning world champion Indian women’s cricket team faced a 6-wicket defeat in the first ODI match of the Australia tour in Brisbane on Tuesday.

This was also the first one-day international for the team since winning that historic Women’s OdI World Cup title last year in front of the home crowd.

But after restricting India to a sub-par total of 214, the Australian team chased down the total comfortably with 11.4 overs and six wickets in hand.

After winning the T20I Series in Australia after a decade, the squad looked confident for the ODIs, but after an early collapse, the team couldn’t really recover.

Despite the half-century from captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana and a late flourish from Kashvee Gautam, the team posted a total of 214.

Harmanpreet also got an injury in her left knee while batting in the first innings and couldn’t come back to the field for the second Innings.

Chasing 215, Australia had a blistering start with Phoebe Litchfield going for an all-out attack, but then Shree Charani took two quick wickets in two deliveries to bring India back in the match.

However, Australia overcame the initial dent with solid partnerships featuring Beth Mooney, first alongside Alyssa Healy (50) before her departure, and then with Annabel Sutherland’s quickfire 48.

Mooney played a match-winning 76 and gave Australia an easy platform to complete the chase of the total despite her departure in the 37th over.