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57 minutes ago
Third women’s ODI, Rajkot
India 435-5 (50 overs): Rawal 154, Mandhana 135, Ghosh 59; Prendergast 2-71
Ireland 131 (31.4 overs): Forbes 41, Prendergast 36; Sharma 3-27, Kanwar 2-31
India won by 304 runs
India racked up their highest ever one-day international total as they earned a crushing 304-run win over Ireland to complete a 3-0 series triumph in Rajkot.
After winning the toss, the hosts posted a huge 435-5 as Pratika Rawal and captain Smriti Mandhana produced a first-wicket partnership of 233 with both going on to reach centuries.
Mandhana, skippering the hosts with regular captain Harmanpreet Kaur being rested for the series, was eventually dismissed by 135 after an innings that included 12 fours and seven sixes with Rawal going on to top-score with 154.
The captain smashed the fastest ODI hundred by a female India batter, reaching the mark in 70 balls, before eventually being caught by Ava Canning off the bowling of Orla Prendergast.
Richa Ghosh’s 59 helped India pass 400 as the Ireland bowlers toiled in Aimee Maguire’s absence.
Ireland were again without the spinner following the reporting of her bowling action by the match officials in Friday’s opening game.
Maguire was Ireland’s most successful bowler with three wickets in the opener but was left out for the two remaining games as she awaits an adjudication on her action following tests at an International Cricket Council-accredited testing centre.
In their reply, Ireland opener Sarah Forbes hit 41 but chasing down the fourth highest total in women’s ODI history was never a realistic prospect as their last seven wickets fell for 31 with only Prendergast (36) offering any resistance.
Deepti Sharma was the pick of the home bowlers with figures of 3-27 while Tanuja Kanwar took two wickets.
