Back ButtonSmriti Mandhana's record-breaking century propelled India to a series victory over the New Zealand women's team.

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Smriti Mandhana's record-breaking century propelled India to a series victory over the New Zealand women's team.

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Written by Muthu Narayanan

Smriti Century (30/10/2024)

India hosted a thrilling three-match ODI series against New Zealand, with the teams locked at 1-1 heading into the decisive final match in Ahmedabad. In a spectacular display of skill and determination, Smriti Mandhana emerged as the show's star, delivering a stunning century that propelled India to a comfortable victory and clinched the series in style. Here’s a broader review and insights from the gripping third ODI between India and New Zealand.

Pre Match Build Up

The ODI took place at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The pitch had a spinning surface, but batting became considerably easier once the batters settled in. Sophie Devine won the toss and chose to bat first. Both teams made one change, bringing in a fast bowler in place of a spinner. After all the pre-match buildup, the game began as the players walked onto the field. 

New Zealand Put up a Par Score

New Zealand openers Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer took to the pitch, facing Renuka Singh with the new ball. The start was slow as the New Zealand batters focused on blocking the ball and running singles. The deadlock was broken when Plimmer scored her first boundary, allowing both batters to settle into a groove. The first breakthrough came through a run-out, resulting from miscommunication between the well-set batters, with Jemimah making a good throw to dismiss the batter.

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Next to come in was Lauren Down, but, as is common in cricket, one wicket brought another. Renuka Thakur then dismissed Lauren Down a few balls later, leaving the Kiwis at 25 for 2. Captain Sophie Devine walked in and quickly got off the mark with a boundary. Harmanpreet Kaur brought on the spinners, and Priya Mishra successfully bowled out the well-set Sophie Devine with a googly, reducing New Zealand to 36 for 3 by the end of the 11th over.

Brooke Halliday joined Plimmer, and together they formed a solid partnership, helping to stabilize the innings. Plimmer was dismissed by Priya Mishra, with Deepthi Sharma taking a good catch in the slips. As wickets continued to fall at one end, Brooke Halliday kept ticking the scoreboard, reaching her first fifty of the series with some impressive batting. During one phase of the game, Isabella Gaze and Halliday worked together to revive the Kiwis after a flurry of wickets.

Unfortunately, this partnership was broken by Deepthi Sharma. Plimmer had been hitting boundaries but ultimately lost her wicket while attempting to accelerate the scoring. In the later overs, Lee Tahula managed to add some valuable runs, and New Zealand finished with a respectable total of 232 on the board. Georgia Plimmer was the standout batter for the White Ferns, scoring 86 runs, while Deepthi Sharma delivered an excellent bowling performance, taking 3 wickets in the innings.

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A Solid Chase By India to Clinch the Series

Indian batters Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma took to the crease with a target of 233 runs to clinch the series. The chase began quickly as Shafali found some early boundaries, and the pair gave India a solid start. However, Hannah Rowe provided the Kiwis their first breakthrough by dismissing Shafali, who edged the ball to the keeper.

Next, Indian wicketkeeper Yastika Bhatia joined Smriti in the middle. The two batters scored runs at a steady pace, hitting boundaries occasionally, and they forged a fifty-run partnership for the second wicket. Sophie Devine then struck again, dismissing Yastika Bhatia and visibly energizing the Kiwi side. At this point, India was 92/2.

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur walked in next, and both she and Smriti started to accelerate the scoring, finding boundaries frequently. The pitch proved conducive to batting as both batters showcased some impressive shots, resulting in a fifty partnership between them. Smriti Mandhana then achieved a remarkable milestone by scoring her eighth ODI century, breaking the record previously held by Mithali Raj, who had seven centuries. Notably, this was Smriti's third ODI hundred in her last three innings. After her century, she got out on the very next ball but left the field to a warm ovation from the crowd.

Jemimah Rodrigues joined Harmanpreet at the crease, clearly eager to finish the game quickly, and she struck several boundaries. Meanwhile, Harmanpreet also notched her half-century with a well-placed shot. As India got closer to the target, Jemimah lost her wicket, but Harmanpreet finished the chase in style, hitting a boundary to secure a 2-1 series victory against the Kiwis.

This win was crucial for Team India following their early exit from the T20 World Cup. Defeating the reigning champions will significantly boost their morale. The standout performers in this chase were Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur, whose contributions with the bat led their team to success in Ahmedabad.

Smriti Mandhana was named Player of the Match for her record-breaking performance, while Deepti Sharma earned the Player of the Series award with an impressive tally of six wickets. It was a commendable series for both teams, but it was India that emerged victorious, celebrating their triumph with jubilant festivities in Ahmedabad. The players and fans reveled in the victory, marking a memorable conclusion to an exciting contest.

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