Smriti Mandhana waltzed her technique to the quickest century by an Indian whereas Pratika Rawal compiled her maiden hundred as India amassed 435/5, their highest-ever whole within the 50-over format, within the third and last ladies’s ODI in opposition to Ireland in Rajkot on Wednesday. The stand-in skipper Smriti’s scintillating 135 (80 balls), her tenth ODI century, got here off simply 70 deliveries, set the tone for India breaching the 400-run mark for the primary time, becoming a member of Australia and New Zealand in that elite listing.
It was additionally the fourth-highest whole in ladies’s ODI, and Smriti additionally surpassed Harmanpreet Kaur’s 87-ball hundred mark in opposition to South Africa final yr.
Smriti reached her thirty first ODI fifty in 39 balls, her second half-century of the collection and the southpaw was not afraid to take the aerial route over the ‘V’ and clear the 30-yard circle in an innings studded with seven sixes and 12 fours.
Pratika, a Delhi cricketer representing Railways, complemented her captain brilliantly with a measured knock, making the event much more particular by notching her maiden worldwide century in her sixth innings. She made 154 from 129 balls.
The 24-year-old, who debuted within the earlier collection in opposition to the West Indies, had already notched three fifties in 4 innings.
This time, Pratika made it depend, reaching a run-a-ball hundred earlier than shifting gears with authority.
Pratika relied on exact placement and deft touches within the level area and she or he confirmed her aggression solely after reaching the ton, hitting Freya Sargent for her first six. She additionally hit 20 boundaries.
Demonstrating her starvation for an even bigger knock, she powered her technique to a formidable 150, showcasing an ideal mix of composure and aggression.
Their 233-run partnership made them solely the fourth Indian pair to report a 200-run stand in Women’s ODIs.
The final such partnership was the record-breaking 320-run opening stand by Deepti Sharma and Punam Raut in opposition to Ireland in 2017.
It was additionally the third occasion of each Indian openers scoring a whole bunch in a Women’s ODI, following Reshma Gandhi and Mithali Raj’s feat at Milton Keynes in 1999 and Deepti and Raut’s partnership at Potchefstroom in 2017 — all in opposition to Ireland.
The duo added 90 runs in the course of the Power Play and 67 within the subsequent 10 overs, sustaining a brisk scoring fee.
The partnership marked their fourth 100-run stand in six innings.
Smriti reached her first century of the calendar yr with an beautiful drive off Arlene Kelly.
Kelly bore the brunt of Smriti’s onslaught, conceding successive sixes in a single over.
Even Kelly’s variations, together with back-of-the-hand deliveries, have been dispatched with ease, with Smriti following a six with one other boundary within the twenty fourth over.
Smriti additionally took on Ireland’s main bowler, Orla Prendergast, smashing her for a boundary down the bottom and a towering six over long-on, leaving the Irish assault in tatters.
Promoted to No. 3, keeper-batter Richa Ghosh additionally returned to kind, attending to a 37-ball fifty, her fifth in ODIs.
Ireland used seven bowlers however they struggled in opposition to India’s batting fury and sloppy fielding added to their distress.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
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