IND-W vs WI-W, 2nd ODI: Harleen century powers India Women to dominant series win

IND-W vs WI-W, 2nd ODI: Harleen century powers India Women to dominant series win

Five-and-a-half years and 31 innings later, Harleen Deon scored her maiden international hundred (115, 103b, 16×4) as India went on to post a massive 358 for five – its joint-highest team total in women’s ODIs – and eventually clinched a 115-run win against the West Indies despite Hayley Matthews’ gritty ton.

As more than 8,000 spectators chanted her name at the Kotambi Stadium on Tuesday, Harleen started slowly and forged two partnerships – a 72-run second-wicket stand with Pratika Rawal (76, 86b, 10×4, 1×6), followed by a 116 for the fourth wicket with Jemimah Rodrigues – before flexing her muscles with a flurry of boundaries.

She looked determined throughout her 134-minute stay at the crease and brought up her century, smashing Shamilia Connell for a boundary between fine leg and deep backward square leg. By the time Qiana Joseph brought an end to her innings, India was firmly in control, with Jemimah, too, chipping in with a fluent 36-ball 52.

The platform was set by openers Smriti Mandhana (53 off 47b) and Pratika, with a 110-run partnership – their second hundred-plus stand in a row. Pratika took her time to build the innings, whereas Smriti continued her magical form – bringing up her sixth consecutive fifty-plus score across formats.

Making the most of Windies’ listless bowling and sloppy fielding, Smriti and Pratika looked at ease before a mix-up resulted in the former’s run-out. However, as she walked out, Smriti calmly patted young Pratika on the back. As Harleen came in at No. 3, Pratika stayed focused and reached her fifty quite comfortably before Zaida James cut short her innings.

Jemimah came out and added momentum to the Indian innings, as for the second time in 20 years, four Indian batters scored fifty-plus runs in a WODI.

Pursuing a challenging total, wickets tumbled for the West Indies, before captain Matthews and Shemaine Campbelle forged a 112-run stand for the fifth wicket.

Despite Deepti Sharma and Titas Sadhu delivering early blows, West Indies crawled back as dew settled in. Matthews stamped her class en route to her seventh WODI century.

However, with leg-spinner Priya Mishra tightening the noose, the Windies went haywire after Hayley and Campbell departed, allowing India to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.