Sports

Team India create HISTORY, post their highest-ever total in ODI cricket in 47 years

[ad_1]

Indian women cricket team posted the 4th highest ODI total ever, scoring 435 for 5 against Ireland in the third match in Rajkot.

Pratika Rawal
Pratika Rawal en route to scoring 154 in the third ODI vs Ireland. (Source: X)

The India women cricket team posted their highest-ever ODI total in history. For the first time in their 47-year-old ODI history, the women’s team crossed the 400-run mark in 50-over cricket, notching up 435 for 5 against Ireland in the third ODI at the Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) stadium in Rajkot on Wednesday.

Smriti Mandhana blazed her way to the fastest century by an Indian in women’s ODIs, while Pratika Rawal registered her maiden hundred as India posted a mammoth 435 for five. Stand-in skipper Smriti’s scintillating 135 off 80 balls, her 10th ODI century, came at a breathtaking pace, reaching the milestone in just 70 deliveries. Her aggressive innings set the tone for India breaching the 400-run mark for the first time, joining Australia and New Zealand in the elite club. This total also became the fourth-highest in women’s ODI history. Smriti surpassed Harmanpreet Kaur’s 87-ball century record, achieved last year against South Africa.

Smriti reached her 31st ODI fifty in just 39 balls, showcasing her dominance with seven sixes and 12 fours. Her fearless approach, including frequent use of the aerial route, kept the runs flowing effortlessly.

Pratika Rawal, the 24-year-old Delhi batter representing Railways, provided the perfect foil to her captain. In just her sixth international innings, she made the occasion memorable with a maiden century, amassing 154 runs off 129 balls. Having debuted in the previous series against the West Indies, Pratika already had three fifties in four innings. This time, she converted her promising start into a spectacular innings, reaching her run-a-ball century with deft placements and precise strokes, particularly in the point region. She later displayed aggression, smashing 20 boundaries and her first six after reaching her ton, eventually powering her way to an impressive 150.

The duo’s 233-run opening partnership became only the fourth 200-run stand by an Indian pair in women’s ODIs. The last such feat was Deepti Sharma and Punam Raut’s record-breaking 320-run opening partnership against Ireland in 2017. It was also the third instance of both Indian openers scoring hundreds in a women’s ODI, with all three occurrences coming against Ireland.

India’s innings began explosively, with 90 runs scored in the Powerplay and 67 more in the next 10 overs. Smriti brought up her first century of the year with an exquisite drive off Arlene Kelly and continued to punish the Irish attack. Kelly, Ireland’s premier pacer, endured heavy punishment, conceding successive sixes to Smriti in a single over. Smriti also took on Orla Prendergast, Ireland’s leading bowler, smashing her for a boundary and a towering six, further demoralizing the opposition.

Promoted to No. 3, wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh contributed with a brisk 37-ball fifty, her fifth in ODIs, keeping up the relentless pace of scoring.  Ireland’s bowling unit, which deployed seven bowlers, struggled against India’s onslaught. Sloppy fielding compounded their woes, as India dominated to register a historic performance.






[ad_2]
Source link

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button