Smriti Mandhana, Sneh Rana sparkle as India win women’s tri-series
The opener’s 116 helped India pile up 342/7 and spinner Rana’s 4/38 then helps dismiss Sri Lanka for 245 for a 97-run win in the Colombo final
Chandigarh: Smriti Mandhana may have not started the women’s ODI tri-series with a bang, but she ended it in style on Sunday. Not having converted her starts into a big one earlier, the opener turned up with a match-winning century as India registered a 97-run win over Sri Lanka in the final to emerge champions in Colombo.
Mandhana struck a brilliant 116 (101 balls, 15x4, 2x6) to lead the way in India’s robust batting performance braving hot and humid conditions at the R Premadasa Stadium. Pratika Rawal (30 – 49b) played her part with a patient effort in a 70-ball opening stand after India elected to bat, nicely setting it up for the other batters as India piled up 342/7, their fourth highest total. Sri Lanka, needing to achieve the highest chase in women’s ODIs, made a promising start before sliding to 245 all out.
No.3 Harleen Deol’s watchful 47 (56 b) in a 120-run stand with Mandhana followed before skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (41 off 30b) and Jemimah Rodrigues (44 off 29) stepped it up. Mandhana, dropped on 21 off Inoka Ranaweera, got her 11th century in the format. She was eventually caught miscuing off-break bowler Dewmi Vihanga. Her second six took the count in ODIs to 54, most by an Indian batter, and one better than Harmanpreet.
Mandhana and off-spinner Sneh Rana have stood out with the bat and ball respectively, in the tournament which also involved South Africa. Barring a loss to the hosts, India have dominated, which should give them confidence as they build up to the ODI World Cup slated to take place in India in September-October.
The Sri Lankan bowlers struggled against the Indian batters with Malki Madara (2/74), Dewmi Vihanga (2/69) and Sugandika Kumari (2/59) the main wicket-takers.
The home team’s chances of making a match of it rested of skipper Chamari Athapaththu. She top-scored with 51 off 66 balls, but her dismissal made it 121/3 around the halfway mark. She was bowled by Sneh Rana as the off-spinner’s first wicket. Nilakshika Silva (48 off 58) and Vishmi Gunaratne (36 off 41) showed some resistance and intent, but the middle-order had too much to do. Sugandika Kumari’s 27 only helped Sri Lanka edge towards the 250-run mark.
Seamer Amanjot Kaur struck early, removing the openers Hasini Perera (0) and Vishmi Gunaratne (36). She finished with three wickets for the second game (3/54).
Rana, who is on a comeback trail, impressed by taking four wickets for 38 runs. The 31-year-old, who last played for India in 2023, was brilliant throughout, taking 15 wickets in five matches to emerge the leading wicket-taker in the series and be named Player-of-the-Tournament.
“I am very pleased to have contributed. Coming after so many months, I worked very hard, so I am very grateful. The plan was simple – just stick to pace-off deliveries and yorkers. I worked with the bowling coach a lot, and it worked out. I feel very confident, thrilled with the win and the team’s success. They worked so hard and played brilliantly,” said Rana.
Mandhana (264 runs, avg 52.80) and Rodrigues (245, avg 61.25) and Pratika Rawal (194, avg 48.50) were India’s leading run-getters.
“Mostly we plan our innings to first assess the conditions. Initially they held their lines, but later on we found ways to score. All the wickets have been good batting wickets. They have not been that great to bowl, but our bowlers still did well,” said Mandhana, the Player-of-the-Match.
Harmanpreet was pleased. “The entire team played good cricket. I am really happy with the way we batted today. The improvement never stops though, areas like fielding, bowling and building partnerships. Our medium-pacers keep getting injured, so we need to work on that.
“We’re going to try and keep playing good cricket. The way the other batters, apart from Smriti and me, batted was a big positive. The way Sneh Rana bowled was also a big positive. There are a lot of positives to talk about, but I just want to enjoy the moment right now,” she said.
Brief scores: India 342/7 (Smriti Mandhana 116, Harleen Deol 47, Jemimah Rodrigues 44, Sugandika Kumari 2/59) beat Sri Lanka 245 in 48.2 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 51, Nilakshika Silva 48, Sneh Rana 4/38, Amanjot Kaur 3/54). India won by 97 runs
