Mandhana and Rawal’s Record-Breaking Opening Stand
India defeated New Zealand by 53 runs in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup, securing a place in the semi-finals with brilliant performances from Smriti Mandhana, Pooja Rawal, and Jemimah Rodrigues.
Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, and Jemimah Rodrigues delivered stunning batting performances, giving India a strong edge that they maintained throughout their crucial ICC Women’s ODI World Cup match against New Zealand at DY Patil Stadium on Thursday.
India’s openers set the tone with brilliant centuries, while local star Jemimah Rodrigues added a blazing unbeaten 76 off 55 balls. The hosts piled up 340 runs, dominating their second-last league match from the start and cruising to a 53-run victory (via DLS method) to seal their spot in the semi-finals.
India now have three victories going into their final group match against Bangladesh. Meanwhile, New Zealand, even if they beat England on Sunday, can only reach two wins. Sri Lanka, the other team with six points, has managed just one win before their last game. As per tournament rules, the number of wins is prioritized over Net Run Rate (NRR).
Jemimah and Harmanpreet Shine Under Pressure
Two rain interruptions halted play near the end of the first innings, but the Indian players remained cheerful and relaxed in their huddle, sharing smiles and jokes. They knew they had already put themselves in a strong position to advance further in the tournament.
With only three wickets lost while scoring 340 runs, the DLS method was always going to work in India’s favor.
New Zealand, already unlucky in this tournament with two washouts against teams like Pakistan and Sri Lanka - matches they were expected to win - once again suffered due to rain. Their revised target of 325 in 44 overs made the chase even more difficult.
New Zealand’s chase faltered after early wickets, and they could only manage 271 for 8. Brooke Halliday fought valiantly with a lone knock of 81 off 84 balls before falling as the sixth wicket in the 39th over.
India’s innings began cautiously, reaching just 40 runs in the first 10 overs under the blazing Navi Mumbai sun - giving no hint of the batting storm that was soon to overwhelm the New Zealand bowlers.
A massive crowd of cricket fans packed the stands to cheer for the home team, with an official attendance of 23,756 - the highest ever for a Women’s World Cup group match. The enthusiastic supporters at the Nerul stadium truly got their money’s worth that day.
Once the openers settled in after a cautious start, they thrilled the crowd with a stunning display of strokeplay.
Smriti Mandhana smashed a fluent 109 off 95 balls, hitting 10 fours and 4 sixes, while Pratika Rawal crafted a classy 122 from 132 balls with 14 fours and 2 sixes. Together, they stitched a record-breaking 212-run partnership that set the tone for India’s dominance.
This 212-run stand is not only India’s highest partnership in World Cup history but also the highest across all teams in this edition of the tournament.
At the innings break, the Indian players appeared calm and composed, but the pressure of the match was evident, as they knew a loss could seriously dent their World Cup ambitions.
Following India’s disappointing loss to England on Sunday, Smriti Mandhana had vowed to make up for her earlier mistake of playing a loose shot when the team needed her most. True to her word, the experienced star delivered a standout performance.
In brilliant form with back-to-back fifties of 80 and 88, she gave her teammates the inspiration they needed.
Her strength lies in both powerful shots and elegant ground strokes, including precise drives and late cuts that find the gaps. Fulfilling her promise to turn a good start into a big score, she notched India’s first century of this World Cup, reaching three figures with a classy drive to sweeper cover off 88 balls - her 14th ODI hundred. By then, India was soaring at 191 without loss in 30.3 overs.
Smriti Mandhana has found the perfect opening partner in Pratika Rawal - the latter happily supports from the other end, allowing the vice-captain to dominate with her powerful hitting.
Their partnership marked the fourth 150-plus stand in Women’s ODIs, equalling the joint record held by Belinda Clark-Lisa Keightley and Suzie Bates-Amy Satterthwaite. Pratika paced her innings well, reaching 76 when Smriti completed her century, and went on to notch her own hundred off 122 balls.
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Early Wickets Set the Tone for India’s Dominance
Harmanpreet Kaur didn’t have to contribute heavily with the bat, but her captaincy moves paid off. Choosing to play five bowlers while adding an extra batter was a bold call, and Jemimah Rodrigues justified that trust with a match-winning performance.
On a personal level, the match was significant for the Mumbai batter, who had been left out of the previous game. Seizing her opportunity in this crucial clash, she rose to the occasion and delivered impressively.
After Mandhana’s dismissal at 212, maintaining the momentum was crucial for India. Promoted to No. 3 in place of Harleen Deol, the experienced batter partnered well, adding 76 runs in 58 balls with the set Pratika for the second wicket and another 48 off 35 balls with Harmanpreet. She reached her fifty in just 38 balls, including 7 fours, helping India cross the 300-run mark by the 45th over.
Leaving out Amanjot Kaur was a tough decision, as she offers depth in the lower order with her batting, unlike Renuka Thakur.
After four ineffective overs from the Press Box end, Renuka Thakur was switched by her captain to the other end.
From the Pavilion End, the new-ball bowler made an immediate impact, clean bowling opener Plimmer and in-form Sophie Devine, finishing with figures of 2-0-6-2 in her first two overs. These early breakthroughs ensured New Zealand’s chase never got going.