Harmanpreet Kaur once again showed why she is deemed the best in the business as she pummelled a magnificent 143 which was coupled with Renuka Singh's robust four-fer to script India's historical ODI series win in England on Wednesday (September 21).
Harmanpreet-led India women thrashed England women by 88 runs in the second ODI at the Spitfire Ground St Lawrence stadium to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Asked to achieve the first 300-plus run chase in a women's ODI after India posted 333/5 - their second-highest in the format as they rode on Harmanpreet's towering 143 off 111. England managed 245 in reply, Danni Wyatt's half-century coming in a losing cause as Renuka Singh claimed 4/57 to put the result beyond doubt. India won an ODI series after a long wait of 23 years in England as the last time they won the series was under Anjum Chopra 1999.
England started well enough when Kate Cross, playing her 50th ODI, bowled Shafali Verma in the second over of the match and Charlie Dean took a sharp return catch to remove Yastika Bhatia and break a second-wicket stand of 54.
Opener Smriti Mandhana looked dangerous again though, peeling off four fours and swatting Sophie Ecclestone over the fence at wide long-on on her way to 40. But it was Ecclestone who ended Mandhana's knock with one that spun back in to beat the attempted sweep and strike the side of her back thigh for lbw. At that stage Mandhana had put on 33 runs with Harmanpreet, who carried on in fine touch with Harleen Deol to keep pace nicely.
Deol dispatched Ecclestone down the ground for six to move to 47 and raised her fifty a short time later with a single dabbed through midwicket, and then carried India past the 200 mark with another six, swept over deep square leg off Lauren Bell.
By the time Bell had Deol caught by Wyatt at deep midwicket, India were on track to post an imposing total and Harmanpreet was into a stunning rhythm.
Harmanpreet unleashed her signature slog sweep to devastating effect and was also punishing to the off side, her two sixes over the covers off debutant Freya Kemp bookending a brutal slog off Ecclestone over the deep-midwicket boundary.
It was all Harmanpreet then as she steered India to a gigantic total.
Harmanpreet smashed 18 fours and four sixes en route her 111-ball knock and also enjoyed a fine 112-run stand for the fourth wicket with Harleen Deol (58 off 72 balls).
She also added 50 with Pooja Vastrakar (18) and another 71 runs in four overs with Deepti Sharma (15 not out) for the unbroken sixth wicket stand.
However, it was in the last three overs in which Harmanpreet literally took the game away from England's grasp as a total of 334 being chased in a WODI looks improbable even though the pitch being a batting belter.
In the last three overs, Indian team scored 62 runs, courtesy its skipper, who was in imperious touch while reaching her fifth hundred in WODIs.
The innings had Harmanpreet's trademark slog sweeps over cow corner which fetched him a couple of sixes while there were disdainful sixes over cover region.
England's innings
Chasing 334, opener Tammy Beaumont was sent packing by skipper Kaur, who ran her out, picking off from where she left while batting. Next up, it was Sophia Dunkley who became Renuka's first victim for just one run after her stumps were dislodged while going for a slog. England was left struggling at 2/12.
Emma Lamb and Capsey then kept the scoreboard ticking for a while, hitting some delightful boundaries. Just when the partnership was budding, Renuka took her second wicket, trapping Lamb leg before wicket for 15 off 18 while she attempted a flick. England had lost their three wickets for 47 runs.
Wyatt and Capsey then joined hands to put the chase on right track. At the end of 10 overs and the powerplay, England stood at 66/3, with Wyatt (14*) and Capsey (29*) at the crease.
The duo then started scoring runs at a decent rate, with at least one boundary an over for a while, helping their side cross 100 runs and bringing up their 50-run stand as well. Their 55-run stand was done away with by Deepti Sharma, who sent back Capsey for 39 off 36 balls after she was caught by Shafali Verma.
Skipper Amy Jones then joined Wyatt. Wyatt hit an elegant half-century and helped her side reach the 150-run mark. The duo had stitched a stand of 67 runs and their chase hit another roadblock. Renuka got her third victim in Wyatt for 65 off 58, tearing into the batter's middle stump with a brilliant yorker. At this point, half of the English side was back in the hut for 167.
Hemalatha took the scalp of Jones (39) just a few balls later, making matters worse for England. Renuka continued to run riot over the English line-up, dismissing Sophie Ecclestone for just one after being caught by Deol at deep-midwicket. This was her fourth wicket of the match. Freya Kemp was run out just few balls later, sinking England to 183/8.
Charlie Dean and Kate Cross then helped the hosts cross the 200-run mark, saving their side from utter humiliation. The 28-run stand between the duo was broken when Shafali Verma trapped Cross for just 14.
Lauren Bell was the last batter to come out. With defeat almost certain, Dean and Bell swung their willows for a while before Dean was dismissed for 37 off 44 balls by Hemlatha. England was bundled out for 245 in 44.2 overs.
Renuka Singh was the leading bowler with 4/57. Hemlatha took 2/6 in two overs. Shafali and Deepti took one scalp each.
