Mithali Raj played a captain's knock of 88 to guide India to a six-wicket victory over visiting the Australians.
Virat Kohli, on Monday, returned to the top of the International Cricket Council ODI rankings for batsmen after logging career-high rating points, going past the iconic Sachin Tendulkar in the process.
India had already sealed the series by winning the first two ODIs but in the 3rd ODI, failed to defend the total of 253 for five, built around Raj's unbeaten 125 and opener Smriti Mandhana's 51.
After opting to bat, India were reduced to 114/6 at one point, but Pooja Vastrakar (67) and Sneh Rana (53) put on a 122-run stand to lift India.
India have four wins in five games but, unfortunately for a team high on potential, it haven't looked like they have identified the brand of cricket that consistently works for it.
England Women register a five-wicket win over India Women and grab an unassailable 2-0 lead
Indian women's cricket team skipper Mithali Raj said their first aim is to qualify for the semifinals of the Women's Twenty20 World Cup. "Our first aim is to qualify for the semifinals, but we will treat all group matches on par with the knockout matches," Mithali told reporters ahead of the warm-up matches here. Mithali said the team is confident of performing well in the World Cup as they had a very successful T20 series against Australia and Sri Lanka prior to the tournament. "We had a very successful T20 series against Australia and Sri Lanka. Getting into the World Cup with these wins, the team is very confident. With the kind of phase the team is in, I don't see why we shouldn't be qualifying for semifinals," she said. Asked about the toughest opponent in the event, Mithal said Australia even though India had beaten them recently. "Australia will be a tough contender for us, even though we have beaten them recently," she said.
Indian players retained their numero uno status in the International Cricket Council's ODI Women's Rankings with Mithali Raj leading the batting chart and Jhulan Goswami heading the bowling list issued on Wednesday.
England had enforced a follow-on on the visitors after they folded for 231 while chasing hosts first innings total of 396 for nine declared.
Skipper Mithali Raj finally came good with an unbeaten century as Indian women beat arch-rivals Pakistan by six wickets in a seventh place play-off encounter in the ICC Women's World Cup in Cuttack on Thursday.
Mitali Raj made cricketing history last week.
Skipper Mithali Raj was the highest placed Indian in the latest ICC T20I Women's Rankings as she remained static in the third position in the batting chart even as Jhulan Goswami fell a place to be fourth in the bowling list.
India's top woman cricketer Mithali Raj has urged the BCCI to organise more Test matches for the national women team, which is set to play its first five-day match in eight year when they tour England in August.
Opener Mithali Raj held the innings together with an unbeaten half-century as Indian women notched up a comfortable seven-wicket victory over South Africa in the first T20 International, in Potchefstroom, on Tuesday.
Congratulating Raj, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao praised the team led by her for their scintillating performance in the just-concluded women's World Cup, a release from the CM's office said.
India men's team captain Virat Kohli (1,983) is the next Indian on the list, followed by Rohit Sharma (1,852) and Suresh Raina (1,499).
India 'C' skipper Mithali Raj dazzled with a brilliant 103, which helped her team defeat India 'B' by 163 runs and enter the final of the women's Challenger Trophy in Mumbai on Monday. India 'C' compiled 254 for 6 in the allotted 50 overs and then dismissed the opposition for 91 in 39.5 overs.
With the second season of WPL around the corner, the Gujarat Giants announced that Australian batter Beth Mooney will captain the team and Indian all-rounder Sneh Rana will be her deputy.
Jhulan Goswami has been named captain of the 14-member team for the series, involving Australia, England and New Zealand, to be played in Chennai, from February 15 to March 6.
'We need to work on our partnerships as batters'
Mithali Raj was the best-placed Indian batter at number three while Jhulan Goswami was the country's highest-ranked bowler at second in the ICC Women's T20 International Player Rankings which were launched in Colombo on Monday.
Indian Olympic medallist shuttler Saina Nehwal reached Uttar Pradesh on Sunday to take part in the Ram Temple 'Pran Pratistha' ceremony to be held in Ayodhya on Monday and expressed their delight, saying that she feels fortunate to have come for the event.
India captain Mithali Raj has returned to the top of the ICC Women's ODI Rankings for batters after top scoring in the side's recent series against England with 251 runs.
Mithali Raj will lead the 14-member Indian squad in the next month's ICC Women's World Cup Qualifiers which brings together 10 sides in their quest to claim the remaining four places in the main event to be held in June next year. The tournament will run from February 7 to 21 at four Colombo venues and the sides finishing in the top four of the Super Six stage will join defending champion Australia, host England, former winner New Zealand and reigning ICC World Twenty20 champion West Indies in the ICC Women's World Cup 2017 from June 26 to July 23.
Mithali Raj says she was not expecting the honour with Virat Kohli also in the race.
'Harmanpreet Kaur will lead India for the first time in a global event and I think she is up for the challenge both as a captain and as a player'
Your weekly shot of inspiration from super achievers.
3 Indians included in the squad
Mithali Raj was named the captain of the Indian women's cricket team for next month's World Cup in South Africa.
Rajeshwari Gayakwad took a five-wicket haul to take India into the semi-finals of the ICC Women's World Cup with a 186-run win over New Zealand in Derby on Saturday.
Mithali Raj was named as the captain of India's 15-member women's cricket squad on Monday for the World Cup to be played in India next month.
India captain Mithali Raj was on Thursday named in the ICC Women's ODI Team of the Year while left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht was the lone cricketer to find a place in the both the ODI and T20 Teams of the year announced by the world body.
Australia coach Steve Jenkin has asked his team to forget the past and concentrate on the World Cup final on Sunday
BCCI has announced a cash reward of Rs 50 lakh to each player of the Indian women's cricket team for their tremendous performance in the ongoing Women's World Cup 2017.
Mithali Raj will stand in as captain in place of an injured Mamatha Maben against Australia in the last women's ODI in Chennai.
India's stunning win over defending champions Australia proves how competitive the women's T20 World Cup is going to be, says former India Test and ODI captain Mithali Raj.
Franchise cricket is fascinating, and Gujarat Giants' coach Michael Klinger believes the key to winning titles is to come out on top in the big moments. He's looking towards his senior crew to steer the ship during any turbulence.
India batter Mithali Raj moved up a rung to second spot, overtaking Australian Lisa Sthalekar, in the ICC Women's ODI Player rankings issued on Friday. Mithali scored 59 against England and 75 not out against Sri Lanka in the ongoing ICC Women's World Cup group stage matches to guide them into the Super Six stage.
India play Australia for their next ICC Women's World Cup match in Auckland on Saturday. India have so far won two of the four matches they've played.
Earlier, Mithali Raj scored 62 off 50 balls while teenager Jemimah Rodrigues smashed 44 off 34 balls as Indian women scored a competitive 166 for 4 in 20 overs against South Africa in the fifth and final T20 International, in Cape Town on Saturday.
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