Hammer & tons: Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur hit centuries as India register massive 155-run win over West Indies
Hamilton, March 12
Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur slammed centuries as India produced a splendid batting display to notch up a comprehensive 155-run win over West Indies to bring their campaign back on track at the ICC Women’s World Cup here today.
While Mandhana smashed her fifth ODI hundred, a sensational 119 off 123 balls studded with 13 fours and two sixes, Kaur had 10 hits to the fence and two sixes in her 107-ball 109, which was her fourth ton and the first since hitting an unbeaten 171 against Australia in the 2017 edition of this tournament.
The duo forged a 184-run stand for the fourth wicket, India’s highest partnership for any wicket at the World Cup, to help the team post its highest total in the history of the event, a challenging 317/8 after skipper Mithali Raj won the toss and elected to bat.
The 2017 edition finalists then returned to dismiss West Indies for 162 in 40.3 overs to keep themselves in contention for the knockout stage.
By virtue of this win, India now lead the eight-team standings with four points from three games, ahead of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa because of a better net-run rate.
Chasing the big total, West Indies were off to a good start with openers Deandra Dottin (62) and Hayley Matthews (43) putting up 100 runs in 12.1 overs. However, India’s spin-pace duo of Sneh Rana (3/22) and Meghna Singh (2/27) put the brakes by rocking the top-order as West Indies slumped to 114/4 in the 19th over.
Pooja Vastrakar (1/21) and Rajeshwari Gayakwad (1/24) then got into the act, removing Shemaine Campbelle (11) and Chinelle Henry (7) and the Windies were in deep trouble at 134/6.
Gayakwad and Rana then combined to run out Aaliyah Alleyne (4), while Jhulan Goswami (1/43) returned to get rid of Anisa Mohammed (2). — PTI
317 India Women’s total against West Indies on Saturday is their second-highest total in ODI cricket, behind the 358 for 2 against Ireland in 2017.
1st Mandhana and Kaur became the first Indian pair to score centuries in the same Women’s World Cup game.
3rd Hundred for Kaur in the World Cup, the most by a batter for India. She left behind Raj and Mandhana, who have two hundreds each.
100 Balls Kaur needed for her century, the second-fastest for India in Women’s World Cup, behind her 90-ball ton against Australia in 2017.
Couldn’t have asked for anything better: Raj
Hamilton: Skipper Mithali Raj has hailed India’s “special effort” to beat West Indies by 155 runs, but she wants more consistency in the upcoming games. Coming into the match following a loss to hosts New Zealand, India dished out an all-round performance to notch up a dominating win to top the points table. “Could not have asked anything better than today’s display. Today’s win should keep us in the (frame) tournament for the knockouts. Batting and bowling really came out well,” Raj said in the post-match presentation.
