Smriti Mandhana scores a record eighth ton

With the three match Women’s ODI series evenly poised between India and New Zealand and the disappointment of being knocked out of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup by their rivals and eventual winners in the Group stage still fresh, the need to give their 100%  and push oneself and keep going as professional cricketers, fired Harmanpreet Kaur side to give their best in their final tie at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.

Having endured a series of poor scores upfront, powered by opener Smriti Mandhana third ODI century of 2024 and Harmanpreet unbeaten century, India cantered to a six wickets win with 34 balls to spare while chasing a target of 232 after the visitors won the toss and elected to bat first.

The Indian vice-captain Smriti composed century (100 off 122), her 8th ODI hundred which was a historic milestone for the 28-year old Mumbai based south paw. She became the highest century-maker for India Women with her 8th ODI hundred as she broke former Indian captain Mithali Raj (7) long standing record.

Smriti played an anchor’s role and stitched productive stands of 76  (104 balls) with wicket keeper batter Yastika Bhatia (35) and latter 117 (115 balls) with Harmanpreet Kaur (59*) for the second and third wicket respectively. She was however castled  by Hannah Rowe (2/42) soon after reaching the triple figure mark in the 41st over. With the host needing just 23 runs at that point, Jemimah Rodrigues (22) made a fiery cameo but fell to Fran Jonas (1/50)  when the scores were tied. Harmanpreet who earlier registered her 18th ODI fifty also appropriately scored the winning boundary through covers off rival skipper Sophie Devine (1/44) as the hosts went past the line in 44.2 overs.

Earlier, Brooke Halliday led the scoring for New Zealand with 86 off 96 balls after the cheap dismal of her top order batters Suzie Bates (4), Lauren Down (1) and in form skipper Sophie (9) who was the Player of the Match in the previous match. Brooke was supported by Georgia Plimmer (39), Isabella Gaze (25) and Hannah Rowe (11). Tight spells from all-rounder Deepti Sharma (3/39) and Priya Mishra (2/41) kept New Zealand to a chaseable target, despite Lea Tahuhu (24* off 14 balls) brief cameo in the end.

The 2-1 series win for India ensured them a third place of the ICC Women's Championship 2022-25 with 25 points from 15 games, whereas New Zealand are sixth with 20 points from 21 games.

Smriti Mandhana, Player of the Match post the series win said, "I'm really pleased with my performance tonight, especially since it helped us clinch the series. Like I mentioned after the first match, it’s been a tough month and a half for this team. The first two games didn’t go my way with those single-digit scores, so tonight I was really determined to make an impact for the team. My focus today was all about controlling my shots, staying disciplined, and batting through those crucial first 10 overs before building on my innings. I believe there are always different approaches, but for me, the harder way—playing for the team—is what I prefer. Every time I get out cheaply, I feel like I've let my team down, so performing well really gives me peace of mind. As a cricketer, you experience highs and lows, but the key is to keep pushing forward."

Deepti Sharma, Player of the Series who earlier this week attained career best positions in the ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings (second as a bowler and fourth in the list of all-rounders) said, “I always try to enjoy myself on the field and adapt to the conditions to deliver for my team. Honestly, it’s about having confidence and trusting in my abilities. I was focused on making a strong comeback, and that self-belief really helped me perform today. I definitely work on adjusting my pace based on the conditions and the batter I’m facing, using my skills to bowl better with each game. Moving forward, I’ll stick to my approach but keep pushing to improve and perform even better in the matches to come”.

Sophie Devine,  New Zealand Captain after a roller  coaster series loss said, “Honestly, I’m incredibly proud of this group. We've had our share of setbacks, losing some of our best players to injuries, and we’re down to just 12 squad members. After seven long weeks on the road, some well-deserved rest is finally in sight. Smriti Mandhana’s hundred today was extraordinary. We took our cues from the World Cup, focusing on hitting the stumps—a strategy that usually works well here. Tahuhu was giving it her all, sprinting on one leg, and Melie Kerr pushed through despite her injury."

An elated Harmanpreet Kaur, India Captain on the other hand said, “I’m very pleased with the result. As I mentioned this morning, we had some important discussions, and it feels great that we managed to execute our plans. Whenever we step onto the field, we aim to give 100%, even though things don’t always go our way. As professional cricketers, it’s essential to keep pushing forward. We emphasized this in our team meeting, so it’s especially rewarding to come back strong after our last loss. I have to give credit to Smriti; she was struggling early on, but she dug deep and got the runs we needed. That was crucial, as we were determined to win this series. I’m really happy with our partnership today.

The Women in Blue return to action in December, with a three-match ODI series set against Australia away from home, after which the White Ferns make their return against the same opposition at home.

Photo Cover : Indian vice-captain and Player of the Match, Smriti Mandhana who scored her third ODI century of 2024 and historic eighth, receives a warm hug from her skipper Harmanpreet Kaur with whom she shared a  century partnership

Photo Above : Indian women are elated after their hard fought 2-1 ODI series win over New Zealand (Photos courtesy BCCI).