Jemimah Rodrigues' maiden ODI century led a stellar team effort as India secured a commanding 116-run victory over Ireland in the second women's ODI on Sunday. (Highlights | More Cricket News)
The win handed India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the thr🅺ee-match series. India posted a massive 370/5, thanks to three half🔜-centuries and a hundred, before restricting Ireland to 254/7 in their allotted 50 overs.
India's inninꦬgs was off to a flying start with skipper Smriti Mandhana, who hammered 73 off just 54 balls. Rodrigues then anchored the innings with her maiden hundred, scoring 102 off 91 balls, ensurin꧟g India finished on a high.
The contr♓ibutions didn't stop ther🎶e, as debutant Pratika Rawal scored 67 off 61 balls and Harleen Deol added 89 off 84 balls, all taking full advantage of a weak Irish bowling attack.
Ireland, despite steady contributions, couldn't match the mammoth Indian total. Christina Coulter Reilly fought hard with a knock of 80, but t🔥he rest of the batting lineup lacked the 🙈firepower to challenge the target.
Deepti Sharma was the standout bowler for India, claiming 3 wickets for 37 runs, while Titas Sadh🌱u took 1/48 in her 10 overs. India's total was built on two signifi♎cant partnerships: 156 runs off 19 overs between Mandhana and Rawal, and 183 runs off 28 overs between Rodrigues and Deol. In total, the Indian batters struck 44 boundaries and three sixes in their innings.
Rodrigues, who had faced criticism for her previous inconsistency, was delighted with her performance. "It ha🌸s been a long wait to get this hundred. Glad that the team gave me a role at No. 4 and I could deliver," she told broadcasters Star Sports during the innings break.
Reflecting on her approach, she said, "Today, the important thing for me was to be till the 50th over. Getting runs isꦬ not a problem, I am good at that, but being till the end was important and glad I could do that."
Rodrigues also acknowledged the vital partnership with Deol. "Having Harleen there, initially we took time to assess the conditions. I know I can accelerate but while I took time, Harleen spoke to me to keep believing." She concluded, "We can't take any team lightly, we have followed domestic cricket here, 390 has been chased."
With PTI Inputs
