Women's World Cup 2022: Smriti Mandhana shares her player of the match award with Harmanpreet Kaur

In a heartfelt gesture, opener Smriti Mandhana shared her player of the match award with Harmanpreet Kaur. On the back of centuries from both Mandhana and Kaur, team India registered a comfortable victory over West Indies, in their third game at the 2022 ICC Women’s World Cup being played in Seddon Park, Hamilton.

It is to be noted that team India were in a spot of bother at 78/3 in 13.5 overs. Opener Mandhana was then joined by the right-handed batter Harmanpreet Kaur. Both senior player then steadied India‘s innings after starting trouble. The duo took charge on the West Indies bowlers after settling in, hitting them for boundaries on regular intervals.

Smriti Mandhana and Hampreet Kaur stitch a partnership of 184 runs

The experienced duo stitched a partnership of 184 runs between them taking their team score from 78/3 to 262 runs in the 43rd over of the match.  The left-handed opener scored 123 runs, smashing 13 boundaries and two sixes in the process. Meanwhile, her partner Harmanpreet, who was the key to take India past the 300-mark, also completed her century in the 46th over of the match. The 33-year-old hit 10 fours and two sixes as well

Speaking in the post-match presentation Mandhana said, “I think scoring a century and not being a Player of the Match is something I really wouldn’t want as a player. I think we both contributed equally for us to score 300. So, I think it’s good for us to share the trophy and I think both are good contenders to get it. We learnt from our mistakes and that’s something we thought we are not gonna repeat it,” said Mandhana in the post-match press conference

“As batters, we both prefer chasing and setting the target both together. Last game we didn’t get going and in chasing it’s very important to get the momentum. Our strengths are really different because she is really good with spin and I like pace on the ball,” she added.

Meanwhile West Indies in their chase had the perfect start scoring 100 runs without losing a single wicket. However, as soon as opener Deandra Dottin got out, a collapse followed. Apart from Dottin, the other opener Hayley Matthews scored 43 off 36 balls. However, that was not enough for the women in maroon as they bowed out for 162 runs in 40.3 overs