 "Smriti Mandhana scored a 70-ball century to power India to a record total in the third ODI against Ireland. Image: X / @BCCIWomen")
The India women’s cricket team broke several records as they defeated Ireland by 304 runs in the third and final ODI at Rajkot on Wednesday. Smriti Mandhana played a captain’s knock (135) as she amassed a 70-ball century, whereas Pratika Rawal (154) scored her maiden international century.
The duo’s centuries powered the Women in Blue to a mammoth total of 435/5 from 50 overs , which is India’s highest-ever ODI total, be it for men or women. Ireland, in their reply, managed to post just 131 in 31.4 overs, with opener Sarah Forbes top-scoring with 41 runs.
Let’s now take a look at the numerous records that the India women’s cricket team and their players broke in their win over Ireland:
Records that India broke vs Ireland
—India posted a total of 435/5 in the third women’s ODI against Ireland on Wednesday. This their highest-ever ODI total for men or women. The India men’s team ‘s highest ODI total is 418/5, which they scored against West Indies in 2011.
—Smriti Mandhana’s 70-ball century is the fastest by an Indian woman in women’s ODIs. She beat Harmanpreet Kaur’s record of 87 balls.
—India are only the third team to score in excess of 400 runs in women’s ODIs. The other two teams to have done so are Australia and New Zealand.
—Pratika Rawal’s knock of 154 is the third highest score by an Indian batter in women’s ODIs. Deepti Sharma scored 188 vs Ireland in 2017 and Harmanpreet Kaur scored 171 against Australia in the same year.
—Mandhana and Pratika forged 233 runs for the opening wicket on Wednesday. This is India’s third-highest partnership in women’s ODIs.
—Deepti Sharma and Punam Raut forged 320 runs against Ireland in 2017, whereas Resha Gandhi and Mithali Raj combined 258 runs against the same opposition in 1999.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts—Mandhana and Rawal forged 459 runs in the ODI series against Ireland. This is the most by any pair in women’s ODIs during a bilateral series. Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry had forged 412 runs in the ODI series against West Indies in 2014.
—India became just the third team to register consecutive totals of 350 runs or more in women’s ODIs. New Zealand registered 400-plus totals in an ODI series against Ireland in 2018, whereas England scored consecutive 350-plus totals during an ODI series against Pakistan at home in 2016.