Mandhana stars again as India secure series in New Zealand

Mount Maunganui: Smriti Mandhana unbeaten 90 runs, Jhulan Goswami three wickets for 23 runs and Mithali 63 off 111 balls helped India women's team to clinch the three-match series with a resounding eight-wicket win in the second ODI here on Tuesday, taking an unbeatable lead of 2-0.

Mandhana was yet again the top scorer for India as she slammed an unbeaten 90 runs to combine with captain Mithali Raj to help India chase down the target.  

Mandhana scored an unbeaten 90 off 83 deliveries and struck 13 boundaries and a six, while Mithali, scored an unbeaten 63 off 111 balls as the duo stitched an unbeaten partnership of 151 runs for the third wicket. 

Raj scored relatively slowly, but hit a couple of sixes off Kasperek, and as the target came into sight, she too scored boundaries more regularly.

In the first ODI in Napier, Mandhana (105) and Rodrigues (81) had added 190 for the opening wicket as India successful chased down 193 to take the lead in the series.

Earlier, New Zealand struggled against India's bowlers. Amy Satterthwaite, the home captain, led from the front with a fighting 71 but the Indian bowlers kept striking blows at the other end to keep them to a modest total.

Goswami's opening over accounted for Suzie Bates for a duck, and that was a big blow for New Zealand. Then, Shikha Pandey trapped Sophie Devine in front for seven.

When Ekta Bisht removed Lauren Down and Amelia Kerr for 15 and 1 respectively, the hosts were left tottering at 38/4. Maddy Green then looked to knuckle down with her captain, but fell to Poonam Yadav for a 28-ball 9.

Satterthwaite then decided to take the lead and stitched up a relatively brisk 58-run stand with Leigh Kasperek before finally being dismissed by Yadav. There were some handy contributions from the lower order, but Goswami helped end the resistance, dismissing Kasperek and Lea Tahuhu for 21 and 12 respectively.

Goswami finished with an excellent 3/23, while all of Bisht, Deepti Sharma and Yadav claimed with two wickets each.(UNI)