Jemimah Rodrigues's Century Powers India to a Dominant Victory Over Ireland Women

Jemimah Rodriguess Century Powers India to a Dominant Victory Over Ireland Women

Jemimah Rodrigues's Century Powers India to a Dominant Victory Over Ireland Women

In an outstanding performance, Jemimah Rodrigues's first-ever ODI century led India Women to a commanding 116-run victory over Ireland Women in the second ODI of their three-match series. The game, which took place at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot on Sunday, not only sealed the series for India but also saw them post their highest-ever total in an ODI match—370/5.

After winning the toss and opting to bat first, India set an imposing target for Ireland. The team’s total surpassed their previous best of 358, a score also set against Ireland in 2017. Right from the start, the Indian batters dominated. Stand-in captain Smriti Mandhana contributed a solid 73 runs, and Harleen Deol added an impressive 89 runs. The two helped India get off to a strong start, and together, they formed a key 183-run partnership for the third wicket.

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Jemimah Rodrigues, who had been under pressure due to her lack of centuries in international cricket, took full advantage of the opportunity. In a clinical knock, she reached her maiden ODI century in the final over of the innings with a boundary off Arlene Kelly. Her performance was a testament to her resilience and determination, especially after expressing her long-awaited relief in reaching the milestone. "It was a long-awaited hundred. It felt very special, especially to do it here in Saurashtra, a ground where I used to play a lot of U-19 cricket," Rodrigues shared post-match.

In her partnership with Harleen Deol, the two executed a flawless batting strategy. Rodrigues reflected on their understanding of each other's game, saying, “We really complemented each other well. Harleen kept the momentum going, and I focused on staying till the 50th over.” Her patience, especially after getting to fifty, allowed her to accelerate and finish with a knock of 102 runs.

Defending such a mammoth total, India’s bowlers ensured the game was never in doubt. Deepti Sharma was the standout bowler for India, picking up 3 wickets for just 37 runs. Despite a strong fightback from Ireland’s Christina Coulter-Reilly, who scored 80 runs off 113 balls, the Irish chase was never quite on track. Ireland ended their innings at 254/7, still 116 runs behind the target.

With this victory, India now leads the series 2-0 with the final match to be played at the same venue. This win also adds crucial points in the ongoing ICC Women's Championship cycle, where India sits second in the standings, just behind Australia.

India’s commanding victory was not only marked by Rodrigues's milestone century but also by the collective effort of the team. While the batting was impressive, India will be looking to address the concerns over their bowling, especially with the absence of key players like Renuka Singh and Pooja Vastrakar. However, with such dominant performances with the bat and ball, India will head into the final ODI full of confidence.

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