India Women hammered 400 runs in an ODI innings for the first time ever against Ireland. They are the third team to reach this mark after New Zealand (four times) and Australia (once).
Amelia Kerr’s 232 not out was the Women’s Odi Highest Score at the time, surpassing Belinda Clark’s 155-ball 229 for Australia against Denmark on 16 December 1997.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Team 1 | New Zealand Women |
| Team 2 | Ireland Women |
| New Zealand Score | 491/4 in 50 overs |
| Ireland Score | 144 all out |
| Match Date | 8 June 2018 |
| Venue | Dublin, Ireland |
| Record | Highest team total in Women’s ODI cricket |
| Team | Player | Runs | Balls |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand Women | Suzie Bates | 151 | 94 |
| New Zealand Women | Jess Watkin | 62 | 59 |
| New Zealand Women | Maddy Green | 122 | 77 |
| New Zealand Women | Amy Satterthwaite | 21 | 18 |
| New Zealand Women | Amelia Kerr | 81* | 45 |
| New Zealand Women | Bernadine Bezuidenhout | 23* | 15 |
| Ireland Women | Laura Delany | 37 | 65 |
| Ireland Women | Gaby Lewis | 20 | 26 |
| Ireland Women | Jennifer Gray | 35 | — |
1. Amelia Kerr (New Zealand) 232 not out against Ireland
Kerr has always been known for her restraint and not giving away much, if any, emotion on the field. But Wednesday, when she crossed 232 not out from 139 balls to help the White Ferns chase a huge 338 target against Ireland and level the series, was different. The smile, the raised bat and the big hug with Kayley Knight at the end of it all reflected how proud she was of what she had achieved.
At just 17 years old, Kerr smashed the highest individual score in an ODI and took five wickets in the same match. That is something that even cricketers like Rohit Sharma and Virender Sehwag haven’t been able to do, so it’s an incredible achievement for the teenager from Christchurch. She is only the second female player to have done so, and it’s a record that many believe will never be broken. This is just the start of a great career for Kerr, and she is one to watch going forward.
2. Smriti Mandhana (India) 135 not out against Ireland
With regular skipper Harmanpreet Kaur rested for the series, stand-in Mandhana was in her element as she guided India to a record 435-5 in their first innings against Ireland. The opener shared a 233-run opening partnership with Pratika Rawal, who also reached her maiden ODI hundred. It was the fourth time that an Indian pair have recorded a 200-run stand in this format.
Mandhana, who scored 115 in India’s series-clinching win against the West Indies in October, had no hesitation in stepping up to the plate, hitting seven sixes and 12 fours in her superb 145-ball effort.
She started off with a couple of fours in the first over from seamer Arlene Kelly, before taking full toll on her next two overs, punishing her for a pair of consecutive sixes. She continued her rampage with another four and a towering six off Kelly before taking on Orla Prendergast’s off spin with a boundary down the ground and an even more eye-catching six over long on.
The century came in just 70 balls and broke the previous best of 87 by Harmanpreet. She added a further 68 runs in the final 10 overs with an array of boundaries and sixes before being caught at short fine leg off Prendergast in the final over. Her stout innings ensured India passed 400, and Richa Ghosh, promoted to No 3, made an unbeaten 59 from 42 balls.
The match was a stark contrast to India’s poor fielding display in the previous game when they were skittled for just 187 in Potchefstroom. They were unable to improve on that effort in Rajkot, with several dropped catches and misfields marring the performance.
Mandhana was clearly dissatisfied with her side’s efforts and wants to see a marked improvement in the coming matches. She will be boosted by the return of spinner Titas Sadhu, who missed out on the final two games of the series with an ankle injury. Newcomers Sayali Satghare and Titas’ elder sister Saima Thakor also took two wickets apiece for India in their 435-5 thrashing of the Irish in their first game at home.
3. Harmanpreet Kaur (India) 115 not out against New Zealand
After making the toss and opting to bat, India were rocked early on losing Taniya Bhatia and Smriti Mandhana cheaply to Lea Tahuhu. However, Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues put on a brilliant partnership to stabilise the innings. The latter then went on to slam her maiden T20I century. Her 103-ball innings was laced with seven boundaries and eight sixes. She also became the first Indian woman to score a T20I hundred.
The two batswomen shared a record 134-run fourth wicket stand to help their side to 259/6 in their 20 overs. It was also the highest partnership for any wicket in T20I history.
Harmanpreet’s century also made it the sixth time in the last seven games that India women have scored 400 or more runs in an ODI innings. It is their highest total in a series against New Zealand as well.
Earlier, openers Uma Chetry and Pratika Rawal set the team in the chase of a rain-adjusted target. However, they were soon dismissed. Experienced all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar and senior spinner Deepti Sharma then took three wickets apiece to restrict New Zealand to just 160/5 in their twenty overs.
Kaur was then in her element while playing the anchor role for India. She hit a six and four off the first two balls of her over to get on top. She also struck another four and a six off the next five to keep her side in complete control.
She then smashed the fifth ball of her over for a six to take her tally to 171 runs off 101 balls. This is her highest one-day score for India as well as the third highest against New Zealand in the format.
Her knock also helped her to move up to the joint-third position for most centuries for India in ODIs, alongside Tammy Beaumont and Suzie Bates. She is now the second most prolific scorer for India in the shortest format after Mandhana. She has now scored 10 centuries in ODIs, the most for any female player from Asia. She also has the third-highest tally for most sixes in ODIs for India, behind Beaumont and Bates.
4. Smriti Mandhana (India) 70 not out against New Zealand
After Sophie Devine’s 48-ball 62 helped New Zealand to a respectable total of 159/4, Mandhana came out all guns blazing for India. Her 109-ball innings was laced with seven boundaries and three sixes to help her side post a huge total of 325/3 in 49 overs. Despite a late surge led by Sophie Devine (61 off 48 balls) and captain Amy Satterthwaite (33) as they built a 69-run third-wicket stand, New Zealand eventually fell short at 271/8 and were knocked out of the tournament.
Mandhana’s unbeaten 90 off just 83 balls gave India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. The left-handed opener was aided by Harmanpreet Kaur’s 63 not out as they shared an unbroken 151-run partnership for the second wicket.
She anchored the run-chase after India elected to field, and although New Zealand bowler Lea Tahuhu played a key role in taking three wickets early on, Mandhana’s calmness with the bat was exemplary.
The 22-year-old rotated the strike and resisted the temptation to play uppish shots when she was under pressure, while also managing to find the odd boundary as well. Her innings highlighted the batting excellence seen in records such as Women’s Odi Highest Score and was the perfect reminder that she is in a class of her own right now.
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