Centuries by Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur scripted a much-needed win over the West Indies to boost India’s Net Run Rate and catapult them to the top of the points table. Indian skipper Mithali Raj, now the captain with the most appearances in Women’s World Cups, won the toss and chose to bat first on a pitch the team previously played on and which she believed would become slower in the 2nd innings. Both teams were unchanged for the match.
India were off to a flying start and showed intent to post a high score as the opening pair of Smriti Mandhana and Yastika Bhatia were on the attack scoring 47 runs in the first 6 overs. Bhatia was the more aggressive of the two scoring 6 boundaries but was the first to depart for 31 after offering a simple catch back to bowler Shakera Selman off a leading edge. Skipper Raj followed soon after for 5 as Hayley Matthews had her caught at midwicket. Deepti Sharma also didn’t trouble the bowlers much as she soon departed courtesy a stunning one-handed catch by Hayley Matthews at first slip. Vice-captain Harmanpreet Kaur joined Mandhana at the crease and it was at this point the batting class started. The pair displayed a range of pulls, drives, scoops and sweeps as they stabilised the innings and pushed to the scoring up to more than a run a ball. After starting cautiously, both batters hit the ball to all parts of the ground effortlessly and Mandhana eventually brought up her 5th ODI century in the 40th over with a classy pull behind square. She began to accelerate the scoring rate hitting three consecutive fours before she eventually smacked the ball straight to Selman at deep mid-wicket to be dismissed for 123 striking 13 fours and 2 sixes along the way. This marked the end of on an incredible partnership of 184 off 174 balls for the fourth wicket – India’s best in ODI World Cups. Kaur was next to score her 4th ODI century at a run a ball in the 47th over and became the first Indian with three hundreds in Women’s World Cups. Kaur was eventually dismissed for 109 caught behind while attempting a paddle sweep off Aaliyah Alleyne to end an innings that consisted of 10 fours and 2 sixes. The lower order then contributed some extra runs to take India to the highest total of this year’s tournament: 317/8. Anisa Mohammed claimed 2 scalps to get to 300 wickets and become the second highest all-time wicket-taker in women’s international cricket.
Chasing a formidable total, the West Indies openers Deandra Dottin and Hayley Matthews were off to a blistering start achieving 50 in 5 overs. The pair put on West Indies’ maiden century stand and although Dottin appeared to carrying an injury, she got the her fifty in quick time. The pair took the West Indies to 100 in just 12 overs and suddenly the centuries by the Indian batters looked like it might not have been enough. However, the introduction of Sneh Rana accounted for Dottin for 62 off 46 off an attempted sweep and triggered a mammoth collapse for the West Indies going from 100 for none to 162 all out. Kycia Knight and Stafanie Taylor’s time at the wicket was very short, with Taylor being dismissed caught behind in almost a carbon copy of her dimissal from the previous game. Matthews who usually plays a part in steadying the innings would depart soon after, 7 runs short of a half century. Last match batting heroes Shemaine Campbelle and Chedean Nation could not help the team this time and they were dismissed for 11 and 19 respectively with Nation run out after casually trotting back to the non-striker’s end. The lower order put up little resistance and the team was bowled out for 162 in 40.3 overs. Another bowling record was achieved at the end of this innings – this time for India’s Jhulan Goswami who moved to 40 wickets with the wicket of Anisa Mohammed to become the highest wicket-taker in women’s ODI World Cups.
Speaking after the game, Taylor acknowledged that the team didn’t execute the bowling plans well but gave credit to the batting excellence of Mandhana and Kaur. She commended the West Indian batters for the prolific start but noted the other batters didn’t capitalise on this. The West Indies will look to bounce back in their next game against Australia which takes place on Monday 14th March at 6 pm local time.
India Women 317/8 (50 0vers)
Smriti Mandhana 123 (119)
Harmanpreet Kaur 109 (107)
Anisa Mohammed 2-59 (9 overs)
Shamilia Connell 1-57 (10 overs)
West Indies Women 162 all out (40.3 overs)
Deandra Dottin 62 (46)
Hayley Matthews 43 (36)
Sneh Rana 3-22 (9.3 overs)
Meghna Singh 2-27 (6 overs)
Player of the Match: Smriti Mandhana
