India v Ireland ODIs: Hosts earn dominant six-wicket win in opener
2025-01-10
Category: sports

First women's ODI, RajkotIreland 238-7 (50 overs): Lewis 92, Paul 59; Mishra 2-56India 241-4 (34.3 overs): Rawal 89, Hasabnis 53*; Maguire 3-57India won by six wicketsScorecard 
India secured a dominant six-wicket win over Ireland in the opening one-day international in Rajkot.Skipper Gaby Lewis hit 92 as the tourists posted 238-7 but the tally never looked likely to be enough and Pratika Rawal's 89 helped the hosts clinch victory with 15.3 overs to spare as the first bilateral series between the sides got under way.Despite Lewis' impressive batting in her 50th one-day international, Ireland slipped to 56-4 by the 14th over with Priya Mishra's two wickets including dismissing Laura Delany for a first-ball duck.However, Lewis and Leah Paul (59) produced a 117-run partnership to steady the Ireland innings. The fifth-wicket stand was ended by Harleen Deol running out Paul and Lewis' 129-ball innings, which included 15 fours, then concluded as she was caught and bowled by Deepti Sharma.Arlene Kelly's 28 and Christina Coulter Reilly's unbeaten 15 helped push Ireland to 238-7 but India were strong favourites as they took to the middle.
Smitri Mandhana, skippering India as Harmanpreet Kaur has been rested for this series, helped the hosts reach 70 inside 10 overs before she was out for 41 with Freya Sargent taking the wicket.And while Aimee Maguire dismissed Harleen Deol (20) and Jemimah Rodrigues (nine), the latter stumped by wicketkeeper Coulter Reilly, Rawal's 96-ball 89 enabled India to speed towards Ireland's tally.Maguire's third wicket left Rawal 11 shy of a century after producing a 116-run partnership with Tejal Hasabnis, who was unbeaten on 53 as the hosts wrapped up their comprehensive victory.Lewis' innings was the highest ODI score by an Ireland woman against India.The knock also made Lewis Ireland women's record ODI runs maker as she moved to 1414 - two beyond Miriam Grealey's tally which had stood since 2005.The sides will meet again in Rajkot on Sunday and Wednesday. 