Hamilton(New Zealand): Brilliant centuries from Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur guided India to a massive score of 317/8 against West Indies in the ongoing ICC Women's World Cup 2022 here at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Saturday.
Indian opening batter Smriti scored 123 while in-form Harmanpreet smashed 109. The score of 317 is the highest by the Women in Blue in the World Cup. For West Indies, Anisa Mohammed scalped two wickets while Shakera Selman, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, and Aaliyah Alleyne took one apiece. Opting to bat first, opener Yastika Bhatia helped India make a fast start in Hamilton.
Bhatia smashed 31 off just 21 deliveries before departing. Shakera Selman made the breakthrough in the 7th over. Indian skipper Mithali Raj (5) holed out shortly after as India were reduced to 58/2 in the 10th over. Deepti Sharma was then removed by experienced Anisa Mohammed in the 14th over.
With Women in Blue looking in trouble, the other Indian opener Smriti Mandhana applied caution as she snitched a crucial partnership with the experienced middle-order batter Harmanpreet Kaur.
India reached 125/3 at the 25-over mark of their innings.
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In the 33rd over, the duo reached a century of runs between them as they smashed WI bowlers all over the Seddon Park. The southpaw Indian opener soon got to her second successive ton against West Indies in the World Cup in the 40th over. Shamilia Connell broke the dangerous-looking partnership between the Indians as she sent centurion Mandhana back to the pavilion in 43rd over.
With the Indian opener gone, Harmanpreet upped the ante as she reached her ton in the 47th over. In the same over Richa Ghosh departed after getting run out. India failed to finish on high as Pooja Vastrakar, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Jhulan Goswami were removed in the last three overs of the match. Brief Scores: India 317/8 (Smriti Mandhana 123, Harmanpreet Kaur 109; Anisa Mohammed 2-59) vs West Indies.
ANI
