Smriti Mandhana’s classy batting and Renuka Thakur’s fiery spell propelled the Indian women’s cricket team to a massive 211-run victory over West Indies in the first ODI at Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara on Sunday. It was India’s biggest win over the West Indies in terms of runs.
Here are key talking points from the match:
Mandhana fires with willow
India posted 314 for nine in their allotted 50 overs after Mandhana slammed 91 off 102 balls.
Mandhana, who recorded a 50-plus score for the fifth time in as many innings, scored the bulk of the runs in her 110-run stand with debutant Pratika Rawal (40 off 69).
Mandhana entertained the crowd with 13 boundaries, including a cover drive and pull.
With this knock, Mandhana achieved the feat of scoring the most runs (1602) in a season. She went past South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt who accumulated 1593 runs in 2024.
Harmanpreet, Harleen, Richa and Jemimah's cameos
Harmanpreet Kaur (34 off 23), Harleen Deol (44 off 50), Richa Ghosh (26 off 12) and Jemimah Rodrigues (31 off 19) took India past 300.
Harmanpreet scored at close to 150 to give the innings a timely momentum.
Richa and Jemimah carried forward the momentum by playing quickfire knocks as India finished at 314 for 9 in 50 overs.
Zaida James picks up a fifer
When her teammates were taken to the cleaners by the Indian batters, left-arm spinner Zaida James managed to shine by scalping five wickets for 45 runs in eight overs.
She took the important wickets of Mandhana and Jemimah besides bamboozling Saima Thakor, Titas Sadhu and Renuka Thakor.
Renuka skittles out West Indies
In reply, West Indies were dismissed for 103, with Renuka claiming her maiden fifer. Afy Fletcher was their highest scorer with an unbeaten 24 off 22 balls.
West Indies batters could not counter the venomous spell of Renuka as the Indian bowler pierced through the West Indies batting line-up. Renuka struck in the very first ball of the innings by getting the edge off captain Hayley Matthews’s bat to wicketkeeper Richa.
She then pierced through the middle order by dismissing Deandra Dottin and Shemaine Campbelle. For her scalp of Aaliyah Alleyne, captain Harmanpreet took a blinder of a catch at the mid-on to the excitement of the spectators. She completed her fifer by taking the wicket of Shabika Gajnabi.
Deepti Sharma picked up two wickets, while Priya Mishra and Titas scalped one wicket each.
India will face West Indies in the second ODI on December 24 at the same venue with an aim to seal the series.
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