In-form opener Smriti Mandhana delivered a sensational performance, scoring a commanding 91 off 102 balls, while Harleen Deol added a solid 44 runs to help the India women’s cricket team achieve their second-highest ODI total on home soil. The match, held in Vadodara, saw India dominate West Indies in the series opener with a resounding 211-run victory on Sunday, December 22. Mandhana’s brilliance at the crease propelled India to a mammoth total of 314, after which medium pacer Renuka Singh claimed her maiden five-wicket haul, restricting the visitors to a mere 103.
Following their impressive 2-1 triumph in the T20I series, the Women in Blue continued their supremacy over the Caribbean team with an unforgettable performance in the ODI opener. Mandhana’s fiery innings marked her fifth consecutive 50+ score in international cricket, cementing her status as one of the most consistent batters in the game. This victory also became India’s biggest-ever win in women’s ODIs against a full-member nation, highlighting their exceptional dominance.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur made a strong return after recovering from a minor leg injury and handed a debut to young Delhi opener Pratika Rawal. Rawal, opening alongside Mandhana, impressed with a steady 40 off 69 balls, providing India with an outstanding start to the innings.
India’s batting lineup faced little resistance from the West Indies bowlers, with runs flowing freely throughout the innings. Mandhana narrowly missed a century, dismissed in the 90s for the fourth time in women’s ODIs. Harleen Deol and Harmanpreet Kaur chipped in with pivotal contributions, while Richa Ghosh and Jemimah Rodrigues added quick-fire runs toward the end.
Although West Indies’ young left-arm spinner Zaida James achieved her first five-wicket haul in international cricket, the rest of the bowling attack struggled to contain India’s relentless batting charge. This all-round display by the Indian team firmly set the tone for the ODI series.