It takes a batting display of real calibre to blunt an otherwise spirited Bangladesh attack, but that’s exactly what Australia managed, and with some comfort, in its Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 clash at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Vizag on Thursday.

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Here are the major talking points from the Australia vs Bangladesh Women’s World Cup clash:

Australia uncharacteristically poor in the field

Six dropped catches. Even an off day for Australia rarely looks like this. With slip-ups aplenty in the field, the defending champion ended up conceding at least 30 runs more than it should have to Bangladesh. Alyssa Healy had a particularly rough outing behind the stumps.

“I think they were all probably tough catches. I don’t think there was an easy one. And no doubt we’ll review that — we pride ourselves on our fielding, it’s something we always want to showcase,” Alana King said afterward. “With those high balls, we were probably being a bit aggressive in the field, wanting the batters to hit over us.

Having players dive for the ball creates great energy and a positive mindset. Of course, we’d love every catch to stick, but that’s not always how cricket works.”

Healy, while uncharacteristically sloppy with the gloves, also had to contend with Darcie Brown’s raw pace and the prodigious turn King was extracting from the surface. The 4.5 degrees she managed — the highest in the tournament so far — was especially striking on what otherwise looked a flat wicket.

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Healy is back in business

The Australian captain’s batting form hadn’t inspired much confidence in the lead-up to the tournament. The team management had given her license to go big from the outset, and that kind of freedom, understandably, comes with a higher risk of dismissal. Healy had insisted there would be no change in that approach — yet the India game revealed a calculated shift toward restraint. She dug in, batted deep, and produced a scintillating century that set up a cherished win for the defending champion.

Against Bangladesh, though, Healy reverted to type.

After a quiet opening over, she and Phoebe Litchfield quickly found rhythm, threading gaps and taking the attack to the bowlers. For the first time this tournament, Nigar Sultana’s side looked rattled in the field. Bangladesh didn’t help itself either, offering lifelines to both batters, but Australia’s intent was unmistakable.

A commanding 10-wicket win, and Healy’s emphatic return to form, come as welcome signs for the Aussies ahead of their marquee clash with England.

Big misses for Bangladesh

Bangladesh was without Nahida Akter (injured) and Marufa Akter (rested).

The absence of Marufa, in particular, was puzzling — this was the ideal occasion to test the young pace sensation against top-tier opposition. Without Nahida’s left-arm spin, the attack looked largely toothless through the chase, offering little to trouble Australia’s openers.

Marufa’s campaign, which began with promise, has revealed signs of fatigue as matches have worn on. Her impact tends to dip when introduced later in the innings — a concern Bangladesh will need to address if it hopes to sustain competitiveness against stronger batting units.

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Plenty to love about Sobhana, Rubya

The bright spots in an otherwise lacklustre Bangladesh effort were Rubya Haider Jhelik and Sobhana Mostary. Jhelik’s early aggression made the most of Australia’s fielding lapses, helping Bangladesh post its best PowerPlay score of the tournament (37/1). She batted with calculated risk until falling just short of a half-century.

Sobhana, fresh from her maiden fifty against England, followed up with a defiant unbeaten 66. Her composure anchored the innings and ensured Bangladesh had something to defend, even if the Healy-Litchfield partnership ultimately chased it down with ease.

Published on Oct 17, 2025