Indian cricketers – both men and women- showed their prowess last week. While the Indian women's cricket team launched their campaign in the ICC Women's World Cup with a comfortable 35-run win over England on Saturday, Indian men showed a dominating batting display to pile up 310 for 5 and beat West Indies by 105 runs in their second one-dayer at Port of Spain on Sunday.
No other team has scored as many 300-odd runs as India – a total of 96. Ajinkya Rahane got his third ODI century, Shikhar Dhawan's run continued with yet another half-century and Virat Kohli knocked off an effortless 87 off 66. For West Indies Shai Hope scored 81.
Early morning rain had left the pitch damp and the atmosphere heavy, ideal bowling conditions that prompted the hosts to invite India to bat. The conditions eventually didn't turn out to be as treacherous as expected, but it didn't help that West Indies' new-ball bowlers never got their length right. They were either too short or too full, getting cut and pulled or driven with ease. There was also more intent from the India openers, who as a partnership have the best average among all pairs who have added at least 1,500 runs together. India's 63 in the first 10 overs was about 14 more than what has been their average since the 2015 World Cup.
The busy scoring continued, especially given that Devendra Bishoo, who bowled well in the first match, struggled with his length. In Bishoo's third over, Rahane picked up two boundaries to get into the 40s. He lost Dhawan immediately after, stumped off the offspin of Ashley Nurse for 63 off 59, but took over the dominant role as Kohli settled down.
From 36 off 45, Rahane scored the next 50 runs in 40 balls, but slowed down near the hundred. Kohli, though, didn't let the wickets slow India down. His acceleration was dramatic. He scored his final 50 runs in 25 balls. He was struggling physically because of the high humidity. He didn't over-hit any of his four sixes, but hit them so clean that he didn't need to look up to see where they went. In the end, that lack of power did him in when he lofted an Alzarri Joseph slower ball to long-on in the penultimate over of the innings.
If there were any doubts about India getting the 300, Holder put paid to them by bowling three beamers and a foot-fault no-ball in his last two overs. The extra deliveries and runs took India over, making it 99 runs in the last nine overs. The next 99 runs would take more than half the length of West Indies' innings, and three wickets to boot.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar started off bowling in areas where batsmen's mistakes hurt them, taking two wickets in his first two overs. In the fourth over, Hope steered Umesh Yadav to score the first run off the bat. By the time he hit the first boundary of the innings, in the sixth over, the asking rate had crossed eight.
Hope showed the promise he carries with a composed innings, but he alone was never going to be able to make up for the disastrous and a struggling Evin Lewis at the other end. One of the final acts of the match belonged to a man bowling for the first time in ODIs: Kuldeep Yadav had Lewis stumped off a wrong run, and Hope lbw on the sweep moments after the batsman had hit him for a six over long-off. He later came back to have Holder stumped off another wrong run to stamp out the last bit of resistance.
Mandhana, Raj guide India to win
India women's cricket team launched their campaign at the ICC Women's World Cup with a comfortable 35-run win over England, riding on superb batting display by the top-order on Saturday. Smriti Mandhana struck 90 off 72 balls as India posted an imposing 281 for three after being asked to bat. Mandhana forged a 144-run opening wicket stand with Punam Raut (86 off 134) before skipper Mithali Raj (71) completed an unprecedented seventh consecutive half century in ODIs.
India then returned to dismiss England for 246 with 15 balls to spare to make a resounding start to their World Cup campaign at the County Ground in Derby. It is India's first win over England in five years as they had all lost all six previous matches to the hosts. Chasing 282 to win, England failed to build partnership with middle-order batswoman Fran Wilson (81 off 102) emerging as the highest scorer. Her run out proved turning point of the game since England looked cruising when she was at the crease. Off-spinner Deepti Sharma took three wickets for 47 runs.
Tammy Beaumont (14) and Sarah Taylor (22) gave England a decent start adding 33 in 8 overs but Shikha Pandey removed the openers and Deepti Sharma dismissed Natalie Sciver (18) as England slipped to 67 for 3 in the 18th over. Heather Knight (46) and Wilson took the team across the 100-mark. But Knight was back into the pavilion in the 32nd over after being run out by Harmanpreet Kaur.
Three overs later, Danielle Wyatt was caught and bowled by Sharma as England lost half their side.
Wilson then in company of Katherine Brunt (24) tried to keep them in the hunt as the duo added 62 runs but both of them were run outs to dash England's hopes.
Earlier, Indian openers Mandhana and Raut batted for 26.5 overs. While Raut was solid at the other end, Mandhana was out to attack from the word go.
