Innings break India 314 for 9 (Mandhana 91, Harleen 40, Rawal 40, James 5-45) against West Indies
Mandhana got off to a sluggish start to make 91, seemingly consumed with trying to change gears, while Harmanpreet’s display of crisp ball-striking right off the bat in her 23-ball 34 allowed Richa Ghosh and Jemimah Rodrigues to provide the finish. touch.
Ghosh, who opened in two of the three ODIs in Australia earlier this month, proved with his 13-ball 26 that his finishing prowess can be far more valuable than having his bat in the top order, although India is struggling to find options to partner Mandhana. Rodrigues, meanwhile, left you wondering what she could achieve if given the chance to bat longer than the 19 balls that brought India 31.
India’s underlying problem in ODIs recently has been an inability to abandon their safety-first approach, and Sunday was no different. Debutant Pratika Rawal, opening with Mandhana, struggled early on, consuming many runs in the powerplay in what was a nervy start. She was also helped by a lot of luck during her first stand of 110 with Mandhana.
Rawal made 40, but would have been out on 1 in the sixth over had West Indies considered a call taken behind Hayley Matthews with replays confirming she had flicked the glove. Shemaine Campbell implored Mathews to review it, but Mathews was shot down. Seconds later, Mathews watched a snicko point to a large woodpecker on the giant screen.
In the eighth, Rawal had another bit of luck, saved from a run-out thanks to a full dive attempting a close run, a direct result of the scoreboard being blocked. Then in the 10th, Rawal’s first attempt to go big on 3 led to her slicing one from mid-off, where Afy Fletcher took out a keeper.
It took all that early nerves for Rawal to get going, as she showed some neat sweeps and paddles, although Mandhana upped the pace at the other end to conjure up her 28th half-century, off 62 balls, at the 21st with superb traction. As India appeared to be shifting gears, Mathews showed how to make up ground by lunging down the left to snatch a one-handed stunner and dismiss Rawal for 40.
There was a bit of controversy soon after when No. 3-ranked Harleen Deol survived a screamer from Aaliyah Alleyne on 1. Given on the field, Harleen reluctantly revised after consulting Mandhana, perhaps be the biggest clue that she didn’t. put any bat on it. Still, the replays suggested a spike as the ball passed the bat, although the front of the replays seemed to suggest a large gap between bat and ball. Mathews, outraged, unsuccessfully protested the reversal of the decision.
Mandhana upped the tempo after reaching his half-century, a sweep for six from Matthews followed by a trademark backhand flick to halve deep cover and long-off. Mandhana’s dismissal in ’91, the second time in the 90s this year, was a result of his attempt to change gears and maintain the pace of runs. She was a heavyweight attempting a lovely paddle against left-arm spinner Zaida James, for whom it was simply the start of a special afternoon where she finished with a maiden five-for in an ODI.
Harleen struggled to build momentum, but an intention-laden start from Harmanpreet fueled her intent. But the flourishing was all too brief as she fell for 40 in the 41st over. Harmanpreet looked peerless, bringing out her sweeps and raw strength, but her innings was cut short on 34 when she was run out after a mix-up with Richa Ghosh while faltering a single to the short third.
Ghosh and Rodrigues played good cameos that helped give India the final kick, while also allowing them to clear up the confusion in the middle overs, where the innings seemed stuck in second gear. A string of wickets in the finals brought West Indies back, perhaps once again hoping for a Mathews special to fuel a chase that will require at least two batters to play out of their skins to help make a match.