IND Women vs IRE Women 2024/25, IND-W vs IRE-W 2nd ODI Match Report, January 12, 2025

Daily Chronicle

Innings India 370 for 5 (Rodrigues 102, Harleen 89, Mandhana 73, Rawal 67, Prendergast 2-75, Kelly 2-82) vs Ireland
Ireland were sent on a leather hunt as each of India’s top four enjoyed batting time without having to contend with any pressure associated with an international game. The end result was India posting 370 for 5 after electing to bat in Rajkot, with Jemimah Rodrigues being the only one of those batters to convert her half-century into three figures.
Along the way, Rodrigues went past her previous best of 86 to notch up her maiden international century in her seventh year as an India player. This opportunity may have only presented itself because India are missing their regular No. 4, Harmanpreet Kaur who has been rested from the series, and Rodrigues grabbed it with both hands. Harleen Deol, meanwhile, fell 11 short of what could’ve been her second ODI century in four innings, but not before she shared a 183-run stand for the third wicket with Rodrigues.
The innings began with India’s latest opener, Pratika Rawal, exhibiting tremendous stroke play to further make it tougher for the selectors who will at some point also have to re-examine Shafali Verma’s case as she bangs the door down with heaps of runs in domestic cricket. Rawal played a back foot punch, the pull in front of square and an exquisite cover drive inside the first three overs to lay down a marker. Her off-side stroke play in particular was quite a delight as she showed the rare ability to pierce a packed off-side ring with regularity.
India’s urgency in the powerplay wasn’t accompanied with blind slogging but pristine stroke play, even as stand-in captain Smriti Mandhana briefly played second fiddlee in what seemed like a role reversal from the series opener two days ago. That day, Mandhana charged off the blocks, playing her signature pulls, while Rawal buckled down.

This fusion helped India raise the half-century of their partnership in just 7.2 overs before Mandhana upped the ante when she hit seamer Ava Canning for back-to-back fours. The first a whip off her hip and the next an exquisite pull. The signs were ominous for Ireland who didn’t bowl full enough to allow the new balls to swing.

At one point, Rawal was on 29 and Mandhana 24. But in a four-over period, Mandhana comfortably outscored Rawal to become the first of the two to bring up a half-century in the 13th over, at which point Rawal was still on 36. The pair would soon bring up their third opening stand of 100 or more in five innings.

Pratika Rawal and Smriti Mandhana put on a big opening stand•BCCI

Rawal followed suit when she stepped out to heave Georgina Dempsey over deep midwicket to bring up her third ODI half-century off just 53 deliveries. The openers had put on 156 when Ireland hit back with two wickets in two deliveries. Mandhana picked out Dempsey at the edge of the ring at midwicket as she attempted to pull Orla Prendergast in front of square. Off the first ball of the next over, the 20th, Rawal was out lbw playing all around a full ball from Dempsey for 67.

This brought Harleen and Rodrigues together as the pair took a while to play their strokes on the face of some really slow bowling. Harleen struggled for momentum early on, pottering to 5 off 21 deliveries; Rodrigues was a tad more industrious at the other end, attempting to move around the crease and thwart the seamers by playing the pulls and paddles.

The pair took 75 deliveries to raise their half-century stand which Harleen raised with a superb, lofted hit over mid-off. Rodrigues didn’t want to be left too far behind as she hit Arlene Kelly for back-to-back fours in the following over; overs 32-34 fetched India five boundaries as they switched gears. Harleen possibly played the shot of the day when she exhibited incredible control in whipping a full ball from fourth-stump to bisect the gap between deep midwicket and long-on.

Ireland let themselves down when they missed running out Rodrigues for 34 in the 35th over when Prendergast missed a direct hit at the non-striker’s end from mid-on. Rodrigues was let off a second time when keeper Christina Coulter Reilly put down a tough chance off an attempted late cut off Canning.

Harleen got to her fifty off 58; Rodrigues got there a tad slower, off 62 deliveries, before she accelerated sensationally in the last ten overs. The purity of her stroke play stood out, with her signature lofted hit by moving leg-side of the ball making repeated appearances.

Rodrigues took just 28 balls to move from a half-century to her maiden ODI ton, much to the applause of the entire team on the balcony, before she celebrated by mimicking playing a song on her guitar with her bat. India ended with 370 for 5, their highest ODI total, 102 off those coming in the last ten as Ireland walked back relieved that their morning toil was over.

Source link

The post IND Women vs IRE Women 2024/25, IND-W vs IRE-W 2nd ODI Match Report, January 12, 2025 appeared first on World Online.

Sign up for our newsletters

The best of Business news, in your inbox.

Menu
Scroll to Top