The Australian women's team beat New Zealand by 232 runs Wednesday to record its 21st consecutive win in one-day international cricket and equal a world mark set by Ricky Ponting's Australian men's team in 2003. Even with skipper Meg Lanning on the sidelines and star allrounder Ellyse Perry not playing the series because of injury, the top-ranked Australian women produced their biggest ODI win over New Zealand to cap the milestone.

The uncertain wait over when Lanning's lineup will get the chance to break the record starts now, with doubts over a tour to Australia by India's women's squad this southern hemisphere summer and a trip to New Zealand because of travel restrictions in place for the COVID-19 pandemic. "It's nice to finish off with a big win today," said Lanning, who missed Wednesday's game because of a hamstring injury sustained while scoring an unbeaten century in Australia's series-clinching win on Monday.
"It's a really special effort, especially over a long period of time.