Mandhana, Rawal and a promising partnership

There was no change to India’s playing XI against Australia despite their loss to South Africa — no tactical shuffling, no panic. While selection tactics need a rethink still, India’s top-order clicking against Australia on Sunday was a reminder of why India were confident of their batting in the buildup to the Women’s ODI World Cup.

- Samreen Razzaqui

Yet, despite India’s top-order providing them a head start and laying down a 155-run opening partnership off 147 balls ~ a foundation for what could have been a winning total - the rest of the lineup was not able to capitalise. Unlike the last three matches, the openers, vastly different in experience and batting styles, were completely in sync with each other.

In the lead up to this World Cup, Smriti Mandhana (80 off 66b) and Pratika Rawal (75 off 96b) had stitched together a series of record-breaking opening stands. In just 21 ODI innings they have batted together, they have scored 1,520 runs together, and have now stitched together 15 fifty-plus opening stands.

The management's decision to persist with Pratika, despite her dot-ball issue, is deliberate. It was clear that they value her steadiness over explosiveness, her ability to be a constant presence instead of being a quick match-winner. And in Vizag, she justified that backing.