Women in Blue finally beat England in T20I after 8 years

Riding on Smriti Mandhana’s stroke-filled 62, India Women registered an easy win against England at the CCI on Thursday. This was their first win after eight long years against England. Batting first, England was bundled out for a paltry 107 inside 20 overs. Anuja Patil was the pick of the bowlers picking up 3-21 in 3.5 overs. Opening bat Danielle Wyatt top scored with 31 but could not find an able ally.

Chasing a modest total of 108, India started off, courtesy Smriti Mandhana’s blitzkrieg. Hammering eight boundaries and a six, Mandhana batted till the end to see her team through. English bowlers had an off day at office as they managed to pick up just two wickets. India chased down the target in just 15.4 overs, winning the match by eight wickets.

Though India did not qualify for the tri-series final, the girls will take some confidence from here to the 3- match ODI series that will be played against England in Nagpur starting April 6. 

Source: Cricbuzz   

India's woes against the Aussies continue; lose first T20 by six wickets

Probably a 20 runs short was what Harmanpreet Kaur and co. would have felt at the CCI on Thursday when they took on the mighty Aussies in the first match of the tri-series that includes England as well. Getting off to a flying start, courtesy Smriti Mandhana's eye-popping knock of 67, India would have expected to post a total close to 170. However the middle order collapse was the culprit and the hosts ended up with 152-5 in 20 overs. Perry and Gardner struck with two wickets apiece.

In reply, Meg Lanning and co. looked determined to chase the target. Some shuffle in the batting order did not prove to be a harm as the Aussies comfortably achieved the target with 11 balls to spare and six wickets in hand. Opening bat Beth Mooney top scored with a blistering 45 and was well supported by Elyse Villani (39) and skipper Meg Lanning (35*). Jhulan Goswami made a strong come back after being out of the ODI series, to pick up 3-30 in her spell of four overs.

The second match of the tri-series will be played between the Ashes rivals on Friday at the CCI.

Source: Cricbuzz.com

Aussies thrash India eves by 8 wickets to win the 1st ODI

After a stellar show in South Africa, the Women in Blue made a disappointing start to the three-match ODI series against Australia on Monday at Reliance Stadium, Vadodara. Batting first, the hosts were bundled out for an ordinary total of 200 in 50 overs. India missed the services of veteran players; Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami, both of them out due to physical ailments. Medium pacer Pooja Vastrakar top scored with a blistering 51 and stitched a solid partnership with wicket-keeper Sushma Verma (41) to take India to 200. Left arm orthodox Jess Jonassen was the wrecker-in-chief, scalping 4-30 in her 10 overs.

Chasing a relatively paltry score, Meg Lanning-led Aussies looked confident and achieved the target in just 32.1 overs, keeping in hand eight wickets. Opening bat Nicole Boltman muscled an unbeaten power-packed century (100) and was declared as the Player of the Match for her match winning performance. Indian bowlers had an off day at office as they failed to make inroads and trouble the Aussie batswomen.

The second ODI will be played on Thursday at Reliance Stadium, Vadodara.

Source: Getty Images

India Women beat South Africa 3-1 to win the T20 series

Another great day for Indian cricket was witnessed on Saturday, when, both, the men’s team and women’s team clinched T20 series victory against South Africa in their own backyard. Harmanpreet Kaur-led side won the series the five match series 3-1, with one match abandoned due to rain.

On Saturday at Cape Town, batting first, India posted a strong total of 166-4 in their full quota of 20 overs. It was again the veteran batswoman Mithali Raj who provided a solid start to the team with an aggressive knock of 62 that was laced with eight boundaries and a six. 17-year old Jemimah Rodrigues played with a lot of maturity and steadied the Indian batting ship with a useful knock of 44, after India suffered an early blow in the form of Smriti Mandhana (13). Towards the end, the skipper played an unbeaten cameo and scored a quickfire 27 off 17 balls, hitting one boundary and two sixes. Khaka and Ismail picked up one wicket apiece and Kapp accounted for one run out and a wicket.

Chasing 167 was not going to be easy and it did no good to the hosts when they lost their top three batswomen inside six overs. Tryon (25) and Kapp (27) tried to consolidate the innings but could not find able allies to take their side to victory. The otherwise spin dominated Indian bowling attack found a pleasant surprise in the form of medium pacer Rumeli Dhar (3-26), who was the wrecker-in-chief. Shikha Pandey and Rajeshwari Gayakwad also scalped three wickets and crushed the South African batting line-up. The Proteas were bowled out for 112 in 18 overs, thus handing a 54-run win to India.

Source:Hindustan Times

Smriti and Mithali steer India to a 9-wicket win against Proteas

Winning the first T20 with utmost comfort, Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian side looked invincible in the second of the five T20s that was played at Buffalo Park on Friday. Chasing a modest total of 143, openers Mithali Raj (76 not out) and Smriti Mandhana (52) provided a dream start to the visitors. The opening partnership of 106 runs that came off just 14.2 overs set the tone for the run chase. Raj and Mandhana hit boundaries at will and their running between the wickets ensured that the South African bowlers had to make necessary adjustments with their line and lengths to bowl to the left hand – right hand combination. In the end, India cruised to an easy win by nine wickets and chased down the target with five balls to spare. Mithali Raj was adjudged as the Player of the Match.

Putting the Proteas to bat first, the Indians restricted the hosts to a humble 142-7 in 20 overs. The spin twins in the form of Anuja Patil and Poonam Yadav were the pick of the bowlers accounting for two wickets apiece. Sune Luus (33) looked solid but failed to find an able ally to take the home team to a commanding total.

With India leading the five match T20 series 2-0, the Women in Blue will look to wrap up the series when they meet van Niekerk-led South African team in the next fixture on Sunday at Johannesburg. 

Source: Indiatimes.com

India Women beat South Africa in the first T20

A strong batting display by Mithali Raj and co. was instrumental in the win against South Africa in the first of five T20s that was played on Tuesday at Potchefstroom. After clinching the ODI series 2-1, the Women in Blue were high on confidence and looked in good shape to challenge the Proteas in T20s. Chasing a respectable total of 165, India got off to a good start with the opening partnership of 47 that came off just 4.4 overs. Mithali Raj (54 not out) and Smriti Mandhana (28) set the stage for the middle order to take it up from there. Debutant Jemimah Rodrigues grabbed the opportunity with both hands and made a mark with a breezy 37 off 27 that was laced with four boundaries and a six. Veda Krishnamurthy (37 not out) joined the party with a quickfire knock and belted three boundaries and as many sixes. India won the match by seven wickets and had seven balls to spare.

Earlier in the day, winning the toss and electing to bowl first, India restricted the visitors to 164-4 in 20 overs. The big shoes of Jhulan Goswami who is ruled out of the T20 series due to injury were filled by Pooja Vastrakar, who picked up one wicket. Shikha Pandey also accounted for a wicket. Offie Anuja Patil was the pick of the bowlers grabbing 2-23 in her four overs. Skipper Dan van Nierk, was the highest run getter for South Africa scoring 38 off 31 balls. There were some useful contributions in the middle order by Mignon du Preez (31), Nadine de Klerk (23 not out), and Chloe Tryon (32 not out) that helped the hosts to post a respectable total of 164 in 20 overs.

The second T20 will be played on Friday at Buffalo Park, East London.

Source: Pro Fantasy Cricket

Mithali Raj and co. take an unassailable lead of 2-0 against South Africa

Riding on Smriti Mandhana’s heroics with the bat, Women in Blue posted a daunting total of 302-3 in 50 overs against the Proteas on Wednesday at Kimberley. The southpaw (135) continued from where she had left in the previous innings and received some solid support towards the end with middle order batswomen joining the party. India vice-captain Harmanpreet Kaur remained unbeaten on 55(69) and found an able ally in Veda Krishnamurthy who muscled a quickfire 51(36). The South African bowlers had an off day with as they could manage to pick up just three Indian wickets.

Chasing 303 was going to be tough and with the batting order collapsing like a pack of cards, Proteas had a bleak chance of achieving the target. Opening bat Lizelle Lee (73) continued to fight but received no support from the other end. Indian spinners hunted in tandem and accounted for eight scalps together, with the leggie Poonam Yadav alone picking up four. The South African inning was done and dusted for a paltry 124 in 30.5 overs and India registered another comprehensive win, this time by 178 runs.

The third ODI, which will be just of academic importance, will be played on Saturday. India might look to test their bench, and an opportunity to try Jemimah Rodrigues at the top of the batting order seems to be on the cards.  

                                                                                       Source: Getty Images