Mandhana Masterclass Leads India to Victory

Smriti Mandhana continues to demonstrate her exceptional prowess on the cricket field, displaying remarkable adaptability in transitioning from T20 formats to One Day Internationals. After a demanding T20I series, Mandhana returned to the ODI format and showcased her impressive form by scoring a meticulous 91 runs off 102 balls, comprising 13 boundaries. Her stellar performance significantly contributed to India posting a formidable total of 314 for 9, marking the second-highest ODI score recorded at home. This impressive achievement laid the groundwork for India’s overwhelming 211-run victory against the West Indies in the first match of the series.

The Kotambi Stadium, which was hosting its inaugural international match, set the stage for an exciting contest on Sunday. Mandhana’s innings, following her achievement of three consecutive fifties in T20Is, established a solid foundation for India’s innings through a substantial opening partnership of 110 runs with debutant Pratika Rawal. Despite the sluggish nature of the black soil surface, both players began cautiously to assess the playing conditions. Pratika struggled to find her rhythm initially, requiring 33 deliveries to strike her first boundary, while Mandhana exhibited her trademark fluency, ensuring the scoreboard kept moving forward and mitigating any potential pressure.

As Mandhana began to unleash a series of boundaries, Pratika found her footing, enabling her to gradually build a stable innings alongside Mandhana. The highlight came when Mandhana hit a delivery from Afy Fletcher over mid-wicket, registering her 28th ODI fifty—an impressive fifth consecutive fifty across all formats. Her innings was a testament to her skill and ability to adapt to different match situations.

The West Indies captain, Hayley Matthews, brought Pratika’s innings to a close, effecting a sharp return catch. Nonetheless, India maintained their momentum, with Smriti continuing to construct a valuable 50-run partnership with Harleen Deol before falling victim to the bowling of Zaida James, who finished with impressive figures of 5 for 45. Mandhana’s dismissal came just nine runs shy of a well-deserved century, but her contributions were fundamental to India’s solid platform.

While Zaida’s bowling displayed potential, the West Indies struggled to maintain consistent pressure, as their bowlers at the other end were lackluster, contributing to the high scoring rate for India. India capitalized on the opportunities presented, regularly forming partnerships that propelled them past the 300-run milestone.

Despite a questionable DRS decision in Harleen’s favor that frustrated the West Indies side, they managed to prevent India from exceeding the 325-run mark. Once the action shifted to the bowling department, Renuka Singh Thakur’s fiery opening spell dominated the West Indies’ batting lineup. Together with Titas Sadhu, who also bowled effectively, they kept the pressure firmly on the visiting team.

Renuka’s remarkable efforts were further highlighted when Qiana Joseph was run out on the very first delivery, setting a disheartening tone for the West Indies. Her bowling displayed a series of unplayable deliveries, with the West Indies top-order crumbling under her onslaught. Consequently, the West Indies found themselves in dire straits at 34 for 6, struggling to salvage their innings.

Ultimately, the West Indies were bundled out for a mere 103 runs, a disappointing result reflecting India’s dominant performance throughout the match. This encounter not only underscored the skill of individual players like Mandhana and Renuka but also reaffirmed India’s strength as a formidable team on the international stage. With such performances, the momentum is surely on India’s side as they look to continue their success in the ongoing series against the West Indies.

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