Hamilton: Harmanpreet Kaur eventually got her breakthrough international century, while Smriti Mandhana hit her fifth ODI century, as India beat the West Indies by 155 runs to climb to the top of the ICC 2022 World Cup points table on Saturday.
India scored 317/8 owing to a 184-run partnership between Harmanpreet and Mandhana off just 174 deliveries. The West Indies, on the other hand, were bowled out for a total of 162.
The West Indies got off to a promising start, with Deandra Dottin and Hayley Matthews putting on a 100-run partnership in the first 13 overs. On 62, Dottin was bowled out by Sneh Rana, and the West Indies lost their way. Between the 13th and the 23rd overs, they lost five wickets.
India on 🔝#CWC22 standings after India's big win over West Indies: pic.twitter.com/E8obtJQljK
— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) March 12, 2022
Earlier in Hamilton, India got off to a solid start thanks to opener Yastika Bhatia. Before departing, Bhatia hammered 31 off just 21 deliveries. Shakera Selman scored the winning run in the seventh over.
Indian skipper Mithali Raj (5) holed out shortly after as India were reduced to 58/2 in the 10th over. Deepti Sharma was then removed by experienced Anisa Mohammed in the 14th over.
With the Women in Blue in jeopardy, Smriti Mandhana, the other Indian opener, used prudence as she formed a critical partnership with Harmanpreet Kaur, the seasoned middle-order batter. At the 25-over mark of their innings, India had amassed a score of 125/3.
The pair achieved a century of runs between them in the 33rd over, smashing WI bowlers all around Seddon Park. In the 40th over, the southpaw Indian opener struck her second consecutive tonne against West Indies in the World Cup.
In the 43rd over, Shamilia Connell interrupted the Indians’ potentially dangerous pair by returning centurion Mandhana to the pavilion.
Brief scores: India 317/8 in 50 overs (Smriti Mandhana 123, Harmanpreet Kaur 109; Aninsa Mohammed 2-59) beat West Indies 162 all out in 40.3 overs (Deandra Dottin 62, Hayley Matthews 43; Sneh Rana 3-22, Meghna Singh 2-27) by 155 runs
