Harmanpreet Kaur: Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma were outstanding

India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur lauds openers Mandhana (94*), Verma (71*) as their record partnership sets up series-clinching 10-wicket victory over SL

Openers Shafali Verma (left) and Smriti Mandhana. Pic/Getty Images

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur was relieved that Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma finally came good with a record-breaking opening partnership to set up India’s series-clinching 10-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the second ODI here on Monday.

After an extended run of mediocre scores during the tour so far, Mandhana (94) and Verma (71) shared a massive 174-run stand, the highest target successfully chased without losing a wicket in women’s ODIs. “We have been talking about long partnerships and thankfully we got it today. I am happy with the way we batted, it was outstanding to watch,” Harmanpreet said during the post-match presentation.

Harmanpreet Kaur

Renuka shines

The Indian skipper also lauded the performances of the bowlers including the likes of Renuka Singh, Meghna Singh, and Deepti Sharma, who with their tight bowling, ensured the hosts are bundled out for a paltry 173. “I am very happy that the bowlers are giving breakthroughs whenever need,” she added.

Renuka, 26, registered a career-best four for 28 on a pitch that favoured the Indian bowlers from the word go. She rattled the Sri Lankan top-order with three quick dismissals.

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‘Working on my strength’

“I’ve been working on my strength, practicing my hard lengths and variations. We read the wicket well, that’s why we bowled first. The weather was to our advantage as well,” said Renuka, who was adjudged the Player of the Match. “Our management asked us to keep things simple and stick to our strengths.”

While the Indian bowlers hunted in pairs, medium pacer Meghna Singh, who also picked up two crucial wickets, including that of Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu, said the idea was to build a strong “bowling partnership.”

“The idea was to build a strong bowling partnership and with someone like Renuka, who is a smart player and puts her talent and skills to best use, everything fell in place today,” Meghna said.

Brief scores
Sri Lanka 173 all out in 50 overs (A Kanchana 47*, N de Silva 32; Renuka 4-28, Deepti 2-30, Meghna 2-43) lost to India 174-0 in 25.4 overs (S Mandhana 94*, S Verma 71*) by 10 wickets 

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