Shafali, Mandhana script India’s 95-run win over the Netherlands

Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma sizzled with the bat as India coasted to an emphatic 95-run win over the Netherlands in their Women’s T20 World Cup match here on Wednesday.

The Indian opening duo of Mandhana (74 off 47 balls) and Shafali (55 off 38 balls) slayed a hapless Netherlands attack to fire India to 209/5, their highest total in the tournament history.  The pair shared a 115-run stand off 70 balls after the Netherlands put the opposition in to bat.

The Netherlands were never in the run chase despite promising knocks from skipper Babette de Leede (28 off 27 balls) and Sterre Kallis (18 off 13 balls) before being bundled out for 114 in 17.3 overs.

From India’s point of view, the biggest scare came when off-spinner Shreyanka Patil was stretchered off the field after twisting her ankle while fielding off her very first ball of the evening.

India next face a much tougher opponent in South Africa in Manchester on June 21.

On her World Cup debut, pacer Nandani Sharma had a productive outing. She had opener Heather Siegers caught at cover for a memorable first wicket in her first ICC game.

Deepti Sharma, star with the ball against Pakistan, stuck in her first over, having Phebe Molkenboer caught at mid-off.

Netherlands’ de Leede and Kallis played a few crisp strokes before departing in quick succession.

It was a procession thereafter as India completed the formalities. The wily Shree Charani was too good for the opposition’s middle and lower-order and was also on a hat-trick in the 17th over. She was all over Netherlands after trapping Robine Rijke in her third over.

Kallis played down the wrong line to be castled by Shafali Verma while de Leede was stumped after missing a short ball from Nandani on the charge.

Earlier, it was a second successive fifty-plus score for Mandhana while Shafali completed her maiden tournament half-century.

Shafali was more aggressive than Mandhana in the powerplay during which India collected 59 runs.

The Netherlands bowlers were wayward and Shafali made them pay. Her aerial drive over extra cover off pacer Isabel Woning stood out in the first six overs.

Netherlands captain de Leede was forced to make frequent bowling changes as a result of Shafali’s onslaught.

Myrthe van den Raad could not make her line right in the sixth over, conceding as many as six wides.

Mandhana got into her element post the powerplay, stepping out to spinners and pacers alike.

The star Indian opener collected four boundaries off as many balls in the 15th over, bowled by Silver Siegers.

Following the departure of the openers, Jemimah Rodrgues and captain Harmanpreet Kaur could not provide the final flourish.

However, India were able to record their highest total in World Cup history after timely cameos from Rich Ghosh (20 off 8 balls) and Deepti Sharma (10 off 2 balls).

India made two changes to their playing eleven, bringing in Yastika Bhatia for Bharti Fulmali while replacing Arundhati Reddy with Nandani.