New Delhi:
Alyssa Healy's magnificent century trumped Chamari Athapaththu's ton as Australia won the third and final ODI against Sri Lanka at the Allan Border field in Brisbane on Wednesday to not only complete a 3-0 sweep but also register a world record 18th consecutive win in ODIs, breaking their previous record of 17 which was set 21 years ago in 1997/98. Sri Lanka chose to bat but they were once again undone by the discipline and accuracy of the Australia bowlers, with Megan Schutt and Georgia Wareham stifling the opposition. After losing Yasoda Mendis cheaply, Athapaththu and Harshitha Madavi stitched a solid stand.
The partnership crossed 50 but Sri Lanka suffered a big blow as Madavi was run-out for 24. Athapaththu continued on her merry ways but Sri Lanka lost three wickets for two runs. Athapaththu shared a 49-run stand with Ama Kanchana and a 47-run stand with Oshadi Ranasinghe to revive Sri Lanka. Athapaththu reached her ton but Sri Lanka could manage just 195/8. In response, Australia blazed away with Rachel Haynes and Healy stitching a solid stand. Haynes has been in solid form in the series and she continued her good run while Healy finally got going. Both shared a 159-run opening stand and they scored at close to six runs per over as Sri Lanka were deflated.
Haynes fell to Athapaththu, who was the one-women army of the Sri Lanka cricket team. Meg Lanning came and got going in style and Healy notched up her century. Fittingly, it was Healy who ended the match in style with a big six off Athapaththu as Australia emerged victorious and entered new territory in ODI cricket. For the record, the biggest consecutive streak in Men's ODI is 21 and that was also by Australia during the 2003 season.
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The current streak of the Australian women's team stretches back to the Indian series in 2017 when they won the series 3-0. They continued to whitewash opponents, defeating Pakistan, New Zealand and also whitewashing England in the Women's Ashes. After beating West Indies 3-0, they have continued their winning run against Sri Lanka.
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Australia and India are the only teams to have won 16 consecutive women's ODIs in history. Australia first won 16 consecutive games on the trot during the 1999/00 season. After winning against New Zealand in Wellington, Australia won four consecutive games against England Women before winning four more against New Zealand. With wins over Sri Lanka, Ireland, India, England, South Africa and Netherlands at Christchurch and Lincoln respectively, Australia won 16 games.
India women's streak began in 2016 with a win against Australia in Hobart. They swept aside Sri Lanka and West Indies 3-0 before registering wins against Sri Lanka, Ireland, South Africa (twice), Bangladesh, Ireland and Pakistan in the ICC Championships. They rounded off the streak with three wins against South Africa and Ireland in the tri-series in Potchefstroom.
