The third and final ODI between India and West Indies at the Reliance Stadium in Vadodara was a crucial encounter, especially for the West Indies, who were vying for a World Cup qualification spot. After suffering defeats in the first two ODIs, the West Indies failed to turn the tide in the final match of the series. In stark contrast, India maintained their momentum after two convincing victories and moved on to seal the 3-match series with a whitewash.
Ashmini Munisar plucks a stunner to dismiss Smriti Mandhana in the 3rd ODI
Smriti Mandhana has been a standout performer for India throughout the series, showcasing her batting prowess with impressive scores. However, in this dead-rubber match, she faced an unexpected challenge. Mandhana’s innings came to an abrupt end when she was dismissed for just four runs off 19 balls, managing to hit only one boundary before her departure. This marked a significant moment in the match as it allowed West Indies to seize an early advantage.
The dismissal occurred in the 6th over when Aaliyah Alleyne bowled a delivery that pitched up around the fifth stump. It swung away from Mandhana, who leaned forward to execute a drive but failed to clear the in-field. The ball was easily caught by one hand Ashmini Munisar at cover point, marking Alleyne’s first breakthrough of the match and drawing first blood for the West Indies. This moment not only shifted momentum but also highlighted the pressure on Indian batters as they struggled against disciplined bowling from their opponents.
Also READ: WATCH: Renuka Thakur cleans up Hayley Matthews with a peach of a delivery in 3rd Women’s ODI
Here’s the video:
pic.twitter.com/zX2xxCOptX
— Sunil Gavaskar (@gavaskar_theman) December 27, 2024
A shaky start for India
Mandhana’s dismissal set the tone for India’s innings, which quickly turned into a struggle. The West Indies bowlers maintained tight lines and lengths, with Deandra Dottin also playing a crucial role in stifling India’s scoring opportunities. Following Mandhana’s exit, Harleen Deol, who had been a star performer in previous matches, fell cheaply as well. This left India reeling at 74/4 after just 14 overs, raising concerns about their ability to chase a small target of 163.
India regrouped and built partnerships to recover from this early setback. Harmanpreet Kaur and Pratika Rawal showed some resilience with a brief partnership that provided hope for Indian fans. However, with Hayley Matthews striking in the final over of the powerplay and dismissing Rawal, India’s batting lineup faced an uphill battle. With Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma on the crease India eventually sealed the victory by five-wickets and whitewashed the ODI series 3-0.
Also READ: Deepti Sharma, Renuka Thakur shine as India whitewash West Indies in the Women’s ODI series
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
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