The cricketing year has finally started for India women as they play their first series of 2019. Played in Napier at McLean Park, the first One Day International of the 3 match series between India and New Zealand witnessed India women chasing for an easy win. The win must have been a remarkable one for India women because the last time when India toured New Zealand for a series of 5 ODIs in 2005-06, they could only manage to win a single match. The 9 wicket win is also special for Indian Team as New Zealand women stand second in the ICC women’s Championship points table, while Indian women are positioned on the fifth spot. Also, this is the very first series for them after WV Raman was appointed as the head coach of the team.
India, under the captaincy of Mithali Raj won the toss and put New Zealand women to bat first. Soon, Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine were on the crease to open for kiwi women. The first breakthrough for India women came in 14th over when Sophie Devine was dismissed for a run out. In the next ten balls, the fall of wickets of Lauren Down and Suzie Bates left New Zealand struggling at 70/3.
Captain Amy Satterthwaite and Amelia Kerr took hold of the innings from there and batted together for 14 overs and partnering for 49 runs until Satterthwaite was caught by Jemimah Rodrigues off Poonam Yadav. From there, the wickets kept on falling until the entire team walked down to pavilion after putting 192 runs on the scoreboard in 48.4 overs. Poonam Yadav and Ekta Bisht took 3 wickets each, Deepti Sharma and Shikha Pandey had 2 and 1 dismissals respectively on their names.
Having to chase down 193 runs, Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues started the innings and scored 53 runs in 10 overs. Smriti Mandhana was hitting boundaries and Jemimah supported her by rotating the strike. Smriti Mandhana brought her fourteenth half-century in the fifteenth over followed by the 100 run partnership between her and Jemimah. Smriti and Jemimah kept welcoming the balls with boundaries and Jemimah scored her half-century. This partnership broke an 8-year record of 163 runs of the highest opening wicket partnership in an India VS New Zealand women’s One Day International Match.
Smriti Mandhana welcomed her fourth century with a single and became the first Indian women player to score an ODI century in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia.
Smriti Mandhana in ODIs since the start of 2018:
84 v SA
135 v SA
0 v SA
12 v AUS
67 v AUS
52 v AUS
86 v ENG
42 v ENG
53* v ENG
73* v SL
14 v SL
51 v SL
105 v NZ13 innings
774 runs at 70.36
SR 92.25
2×100, 7×50 #NZvIND #ICCWC
Source @_hypocaust pic.twitter.com/ILxiFlk1BD— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) January 24, 2019
As India women were just 3 runs away from claiming a ten-wicket win, Smriti Mandhana was caught by Lea Tuhuhu off Amelia Kerr. Deepti Sharma came in to bat at No. 3. India brought their win with a wide ball, bowled by Rowe. This marked the 9 wicket victory for the guests. Smriti Mandhana received ‘Player of the Match’ award for her innings of 105 runs which included 9 fours and 3 sixes in 104 balls. Jemimah Rodriguez remained unbeatable at 81 runs.
Jemimah Rodrigues : 81*(94)
Smriti Mandhana : 105(104)
Power India to a 9 Wicket Win against New Zealand Women ?#INDvNZ#INDWvNZW #smritimandhana #smritimandhana pic.twitter.com/tRJdbHk8RM— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) January 24, 2019
The second ODI will be played on 29th January at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. The competition would be action-packed and engrossing to see if India can seal the series by winning the match.
Pictures from the first game :
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