Harmanpreet Kaur's Century Leads India to 318 Against England in 3rd ODI
India Sets a Challenging Target in 3rd ODI
Durham [UK], July 22: In a remarkable display of batting, Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur scored a brilliant century, propelling India to a total of 318 runs for 5 wickets in their third ODI against England at Riverside Ground, Chester-Le-Street on Tuesday.
Richa Ghosh made a significant contribution, scoring 38 runs off just 18 balls, achieving a strike rate of 211.11, which helped India surpass the 300-run milestone. England now faces a daunting target of 319 runs to clinch the series.
Kaur's innings not only showcased her batting prowess but also marked her achievement of 4000 ODI runs, making her the third Indian woman to reach this milestone, following in the footsteps of Smriti Mandhana and the legendary Mithali Raj.
Winning the toss, India chose to bat first in this crucial match, with the series tied at 1-1. The opening partnership between Pratika Rawal and Smriti Mandhana yielded 64 runs before Rawal was dismissed for 26 runs in the 13th over by Charlie Dean.
Mandhana followed shortly after, scoring 45 runs in the 18th over, which included five boundaries. Kaur then joined Harleen Deol at the crease, and together they added 81 runs for the fourth wicket before Deol was dismissed by Lauren Bell for 45 runs off 65 balls, featuring four fours. Jemimah Rodrigues then partnered with Kaur.
Kaur achieved her seventh ODI century during this innings, as she and Rodrigues built a solid 110-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Rodrigues contributed significantly with 50 runs off 45 balls before being dismissed by Lauren Filer in the 46th over.
Kaur's impressive innings concluded at 102 runs off 84 balls, including 14 boundaries, marking the second-fastest century by an Indian woman in ODIs.
This match marks India's eighth score of 300 or more runs since January 2024. All England bowlers managed to take a wicket, with Sophie Ecclestone being the standout performer.
Brief score: India-W 318/5 (Harmanpreet Kaur 102, Jemimah Rodrigues 50; Sophie Ecclestone 1/28).