The Indian women’s cricket team has scripted several monumental records over the last few years. Some of them came on the back of team efforts while the others were made possible by individual brilliance.
Seven years back on May 15, 2017, Deepti Sharma and Punam Raut joined hands to achieve a stunning feat in women’s ODIs. The duo recorded the highest-ever opening partnership in the 50-over format during a clash against Ireland at Potchefstroom in South Africa.
Deepti and Poonam stitched a 320-run stand as India folded their innings at 352, losing two wickets along the way.
India’s regular opener Smriti Mandhana was ruled out of the quadrangular series featuring South Africa and Zimbabwe as the other teams. She was recovering from an injury sustained during the 2017 Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL).
In her absence, Deepti Sharma and Punam Raut were bestowed the responsibility of opening the innings.
The pair excelled in the first three matches where India triumphed over Ireland, South Africa and Zimbabwe respectively. In the return game against the Irish side, Indian captain Mithali Raj won the toss and elected to bat first. Deepti Sharma and Punam Raut pulled off a composed start. They kept the scoreboard ticking with singles and doubles while dishing out occasional boundaries.
Punam breached the 50-run mark in the 24th over. Deepti scored three boundaries off Rachel Delaney to complete the half-century in the 26th over. The star all-rounder played some brilliant strokes afterwards and notched a hundred in 126 deliveries. She reached the 150-run mark in the 42nd over. Punam registered her ton in the same over.
Deepti Sharma was ultimately dismissed by Rachel Delaney at 188 runs. She whacked as many as 27 boundaries and two sixes during his 166-ball innings. Moments after her opening partner returned to the pavilion, Punam Raut picked up an unfortunate injury while taking a single. She had to wrap up her innings at 119. Among the upcoming Indian batters, Shikha Pandey chipped in with a 27-run cameo.
Ireland made a positive start to the chase and lost their first wicket in the 17th over when Deepti Sharma trapped Leah Paul for a catch with a slower delivery. Following the dismissal of the opener, no Irish batter was able to spend a significant time at the crease.
India finally bundled out their opponents at 109 runs in 40 overs. Rajeshwari Gayakwad fetched a four-wicket haul while Shikha Pandey got three scalps under her belt.
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