India claimed a dominant series win, securing a record total of 373 for 4, with key contributions from Jemimah Rodrigues, who smashed her maiden ODI century, and fifties from Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, and Harleen Deol. Rodrigues’ 103 anchored India’s innings, while Rawal’s 59 and Mandhana’s 55 added crucial runs. The team’s remarkable batting performance […]
India claimed a dominant series win, securing a record total of 373 for 4, with key contributions from Jemimah Rodrigues, who smashed her maiden ODI century, and fifties from Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, and Harleen Deol. Rodrigues’ 103 anchored India’s innings, while Rawal’s 59 and Mandhana’s 55 added crucial runs. The team’s remarkable batting performance powered them to a commanding total, ultimately winning by 116 runs.
Despite the heavy defeat, Ireland found positives, particularly in their batting. The top order, led by Christina Coulter Reilly’s maiden half-century and Laura Delany’s resilient knock of 37, fought hard against India’s young pace attack. Their efforts helped Ireland surpass their previous total of 238 for 7, giving them valuable lessons and confidence ahead of the World Cup qualifiers.
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Pratika Rawal continued her fine form with a composed 67, following up her previous knock of 89 with impressive stroke play, particularly against the seam bowlers. She shared a brilliant 156-run opening stand with Smriti Mandhana, whose knock of 73 also contributed significantly to India’s solid start. Both players displayed superb technique during the powerplay, combining aggressive intent with elegant strokeplay, avoiding reckless slogging. Their partnership marked India’s third opening stand of 100 or more in just five innings, highlighting their growing chemistry at the top.
However, a lapse in concentration led to a double-wicket collapse, with Rawal falling lbw and Mandhana mistiming a pull shot. This brought Harleen Deol and Jemimah Rodrigues to the crease, where they faced the challenge of building the innings against some slow bowling. Harleen initially struggled for momentum, making only 5 runs off 21 balls, while Rodrigues found more fluency, using her movement across the crease to thwart the seamers with controlled pulls and paddles.
The duo slowly built their partnership, reaching a 50-run stand off 75 balls. Harleen then broke the deadlock with a magnificent lofted shot over mid-off, signaling a shift in gears. Rodrigues, not to be overshadowed, responded with back-to-back boundaries off Arlene Kelly, and the pair took full advantage of the slow bowling, scoring five boundaries in overs 32 to 34. Harleen later played the shot of the day, expertly timing a full ball from fourth-stump to split the gap between deep midwicket and long-on, showcasing her exceptional control.
Despite the slow start, the partnership between Rodrigues and Harleen gradually gained momentum, with both batters settling into their rhythm. This partnership, marked by patience and skillful strokeplay, laid the foundation for India’s strong total, setting the stage for a commanding finish.
Ireland’s fielding lapses allowed India to build an even stronger total, with Jemimah Rodrigues being the primary beneficiary. Rodrigues was fortunate not to be run out for 34 in the 35th over when Orla Prendergast missed a direct hit from mid-on, and she was also let off by keeper Christina Coulter Reilly, who put down a tough chance off an attempted late cut. These missed opportunities proved costly as Rodrigues and Harleen Deol took charge of the innings.
Harleen reached her fifty off 58 balls and pushed towards her second ODI century in four matches, but fell for 89. Rodrigues, who was slightly slower to fifty off 62 balls, shifted gears spectacularly in the final ten overs. Her strokeplay was a treat to watch, with her signature lofted shots, moving legside, being a recurring feature. She accelerated with incredible precision, taking just 28 balls to move from fifty to her maiden ODI century, much to the delight of the Indian team.
In an emotional moment, Rodrigues celebrated her century by mimicking playing a song on her guitar with her bat, a gesture that resonated with her teammates. India finished with a formidable total of 370 for 5, with 102 runs coming in the last ten overs alone. Ireland, having battled through a challenging morning, could only look back at their missed chances as the Indian women took control.
Ireland started their chase slowly and never quite looked in contention to reach the target. However, Christina Coulter Reilly showed resilience, overcoming two blows to her helmet from Sayali Satghare, both off bouncers. Despite the early discomfort, she grew in confidence and showcased a fearless approach against spin, particularly thriving against leg-spinner Priya Mishra, whom she swept to various parts of the leg side with style.
Laura Delany, coming in at No. 4, immediately displayed urgency, striking her second ball through the covers for a boundary. She also weathered the threat posed by Deepti Sharma’s flighted deliveries, after being given a reprieve when Sharma dropped a tough return catch on Delany’s score of 7. This period marked the only significant challenge India faced from Ireland’s batting, as Delany and Coulter Reilly put together an 83-run partnership for the fourth wicket, the most substantial stand of the innings.
The rest of Ireland’s batting lineup struggled to find rhythm, with players trying to settle in but failing to build significant partnerships. Leah Paul, who had scored a half-century in the previous game, finished unbeaten on 27 off 22 balls. Her late contributions helped Ireland surpass the 238 for 7 they had posted two days earlier, though they ultimately fell well short of India’s massive total.