Women ODI World Cup: Pratika, Smriti and Jemimah dazzle as India seals last semifinal spot

India couldn’t have hoped for a better way to storm into the semifinals of the Women’s ODI World Cup. The pressure mounted on the home team following three successive defeats, but as it returned to its cherished hub — the D.Y. Patil Stadium — more than 25,000 spectators braved the rain and cheered for the Women in Blue.

And adding to the festive fervour, India thumped New Zealand by 53 runs via DLS method on Thursday to book a spot in the last-four stage after eight years as it rode on centuries by openers Pratika Rawal and Smriti Mandhana to put up a mammoth 340 for three in 49 overs.

Over the last few outings, Pratika’s strike rate came under the scanner. However, she broke the shackles when it mattered the most. As the White Ferns put the host in on a batting-friendly surface, Smriti (109, 95b, 10×4, 4×6) and Pratika (122, 134b, 13×4, 2×6) laid the foundation with a record 212-run stand — the highest for India in World Cups.

As the New Zealand bowlers struggled to make inroads, a determined Smriti and Pratika took things in their stride and cut loose after a slow start. With the surface offering nothing to the bowlers, Pratika put her head down and batted through and in the process became the joint-fastest to 1,000 runs in the women’s ODIs, alongside Australia’s Lindsay Reeler, reaching the milestone in just 23 innings.

Smriti grew in confidence and dominated with a brisk knock as she brought up her 17th international century.

Pratika too gradually bettered her strike rate and brought up her second ODI ton. However, after Smriti fell to Suzie Bates, the team management’s decision to elevate Jemimah Rodrigues (76 n.o., 55b, 11×4) to No.3 paid off as she added 76 runs with Pratika and ensured there were no slip-ups.

With rain halting play for long, New Zealand’s target was revised to 325 in 44 overs, but with none of the top-order batters blossoming, it was never in the chase. Kranti Gaud and Renuka Thakur struck early and the White Ferns struggled big time as both Georgia Plimmer and Amelia Kerr failed to convert starts. Though Brooke Halliday and Isabella Gaze scored fifties, it was the end of the road for the Kiwis.