Smriti Mandhana's Century Provides Fine Start For Indian Women In New Zealand Tour

Smriti Mandhana’s Century Provides Fine Start For Indian Women In New Zealand Tour

By Sandy - Jan 24, 2019 5:23 pm

Like the Indian men’s, Indian women have started their New Zealand tour in a dominant way. On Thursday (24 January), the Indian women team won the first ODI of three-match ODI series against the hosts New Zealand won by nine wickets.

Smriti Mandhana played a brilliant century knock

After winning the toss in Napier ODI, Indian skipper Mithali Raj decided to bowl first. The hosts were losing their wickets in regular intervals and they were collapsed on 192 runs in 48.4 overs. The openers Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine provided a 61-run partnership but the team faced disaster at next.

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Only Bates (36) and the skipper Amy Satterthwaite (31) reached the 30-run marks while Devine (28), young Amelia Kerr (28) and another young lower-order Hannah Rowe (25) were the other batters to reach the 20-run marks.

Also read: Kane Williamson After Napier ODI: We Should Have Played Little Bit More Smartly

Among the Indian bowlers, Ekta Bisht (3/32) and Poonam Yadav (3/42) bagged three wickets each while Deepti Sharma (2/27) took two wickets and Shikha Pandey (1/38) claimed two and one wickets respectively.

Also read: Virat Kohli Has Been Rested For Last Two ODIs Against New Zealand

In reply, the Indian openers Jemimah Rodrigues and Smriti Mandhana provided a solid start and put the 190-run partnership for the opening wicket. While Mandhana scored 105 off 104 balls (9 fours and 3 sixes), Rodrigues played an unbeaten knock of 81 runs off 94 balls (9 fours). The visiting side successfully chased down the target in 33 overs after losing the only wicket of Mandhana that was taken by Amelia Kerr (1/33).

Also read: India tour of New Zealand 2018/19: First ODI – Stats Review

Some key stats of the match:

New Zealand women were bundled out for just 192 runs in 48.4 overs. The second time New Zealand women have been bundled out against India women in home ODIs. The first incident was on 14 January 1982 when New Zealand women had been bundled out for just 80 runs at Auckland.
Indian women’s openers Jemimah Rodrigues and Smriti Mandhana had the 190-run partnership. Fourth highest ODI partnership for India women in their ODI history.
Indian women’s opener Smriti Mandhana scored 105 runs in this match. The second ODI century by an Indian women cricketer against New Zealand women. The record is 109 by Mithali Raj at Derby on 15 July 2017.
India women won the match by 9 wickets. Their joint largest ODI victory against New Zealand women. Earlier, India women had the same margin victory for twice and both were in India.

Comprehensive win for #TeamIndia as they wrap the 1st ODI by 9 wickets. 1-0 🇮🇳🇮🇳 #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/MoU73CwSOX
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) January 24, 2019