India won the 1st ODI of three-match ODI series against New Zealand by 9 wickets in the ongoing ICC Women’s Championship (2017-20). A clinical all-round performance from the spin twins Poonam Yadav and Ekta Bisht; a blitzy ton from Mandhana; unbeaten 81 from Rodrigues helped India score a comfortable win.
India won the toss and chose to field first. Put in to bat, White Ferns’ experienced duo Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine opened the innings while pace spearhead Jhulan Goswami started the attack with the ball. Their first boundary came in Shikha Pandey’s second over when Devine hit it towards square. Both the openers tried to build the innings slowly and opened their hands whenever they find the gaps.
To stop the run-flow, Mithali Raj introduced left-arm orthodox, Ekta Bisht in the 7th over. They managed to put up 44 runs within the powerplay. The opening partnership between Suzie Bates (36) and Sophie Devine (28), came to an end by a run-out from Deepti Sharma; who’s direct throw sent Devine in the dugout.
In the 16th over, Taniya Bhatia worked brilliantly behind the stumps as her quick glove-work dismissed Lauren Down in Poonam Yadav’s delivery. Next was Bates, who tried to hit the ball at leg side but a well-judged, as well as a low catch by Goswami, sent her in.
Skipper Amy Satterthwaite and Amelia Kerr tried to steady the ship by adding 49 in 14 overs. But before the pair became more dangerous, Poonam Yadav picked up Satterthwaite, who got out by giving a catch to Rodrigues at the cover; who has juggled at first but safely took it.
Kerr soon followed her captain. Hemalatha took an easy catch at the long on in Yadav ‘s delivery to dismiss Kerr. She scored 28 off 60. Ekta Bisht picked up Maddy Green and Kasperek back to back in her two consecutive overs and New Zealand were reduced to 149/7 after 39 overs. Tail-enders Hannah Rowe and Huddlestone added 26 for the ninth wicket. While Ekta Bisht bagged her third wicket by taking Rowe for 25, Shikha Pandey took Huddleston and White Ferns were bowled out for 192 in 48.4 overs.
Suzie Bates top-scored 36 for White Ferns while Poonam Yadav and Ekta Bisht scalped three-wicket each. Deepti Sharma bagged 2 wickets while Shikha Pandey took 1 for India.
Chasing a modest target of 193, India got off a flying start. Mandhana, the left-handed opener and Jemimah Rodrigues, started hitting boundaries all over the parks from the third over. Both the batters were able to steady the ship. Due to their constant boundaries and rotating strikes whenever required, guided India to their 50-run partnership within 9 overs.
White Ferns were unable to stop Mandhana’s explosive batting, who scored another blitzy ton with 9 fours and 3 sixes. With this knock, she completed her 4th ODI-century and became the first Indian women player to score centuries in South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia. Along with her, Jemimah Rodrigues too batted gracefully.
Rodrigues patiently supported Mandhana and both of them brought up the century partnership by hitting Devine for a six. In 22nd over, Rodrigues smashed her maiden half-century in 61 deliveries with 6 boundaries. In the 28th over, Rodrigues scored two boundaries off Satterthwaite and India crossed 150 runs on board.
Mandhana reached to 95 from 89 with an over-boundary off Amelia Kerr. In the thirty seconds over she took a single after hitting the ball to the deep point off Rowe and completed her century. But she couldn’t stay till the end as she was dismissed by Kerr when only three runs were needed. Rowe bowled a wide ball in the first ball of the 34th over and India comprehensive won the match with 17 overs to spare; where Rodrigues scored a 94-ball 81 with 9 fours
Smriti Mandhana has adjudged the ‘Player of the Match’ for her brilliant century. Both the teams will play their second match at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui.
