Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal Break WODI Record, Guide India to Victory Over England
Indian openers Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal etched their names in cricket history after delivering a record-breaking performance against England Women in the first ODI of the ongoing white-ball series at The Rose Bowl.
The dynamic Indian pair set a new benchmark for the best average by an opening pair in Women's ODIs, surpassing legendary duos from England and Australia.
Historic Partnership at the Top
While chasing a competitive target of 259 runs set by England, the Indian opening duo laid a solid foundation. Mandhana scored 28 off 24 balls, while Rawal contributed 36 off 51 deliveries. Together, they crossed the 1,000-run mark as a pair—becoming only the third Indian opening duo to do so.
Their consistent performances have now taken their partnership average to a record-breaking 84.6—the highest in WODI history (minimum 1,000 partnership runs).
Top 5 Opening Pairs in WODIs (Min. 1,000 runs)
| Rank | Players | Country | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Smriti Mandhana – Pratika Rawal | 🇮🇳 India | 84.6 |
| 2. | Caroline Atkins – Sarah Taylor | 🇬🇧 England | 68.8 |
| 3. | Rachael Haynes – Alyssa Healy | 🇦🇺 Australia | 63.4 |
| 4. | Tammy Beaumont – Amy Jones | 🇬🇧 England | 62.8 |
| 5. | Belinda Clark – Lisa Keightley | 🇦🇺 Australia | 52.9 |
India Takes 1–0 Lead in ODI Series
After the strong start by Mandhana and Rawal, the middle order took over. Jemimah Rodrigues played a composed knock of 48 off 54, while Deepti Sharma anchored the chase with an unbeaten 62 off 64. India clinched a four-wicket win to go 1–0 up in the three-match ODI series.
The chase was smooth, despite a few hiccups in the middle overs, with India finishing strong and registering a confidence-boosting win on English soil.
