Jemimah Rodrigues guides India to series-levelling win over Bangladesh

 DHAKA: Jemimah Rodrigues dished out a memorable all-round performance -- a quick 86 with the bat and four wickets (4/3) with the ball -- to help India level three-game ODI series 1-1 with a 108-run win against Bangladesh in the second match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, here on Wednesday.

Jemimah's superb efforts meant that the third ODI set to be played on Saturday will now be the series decider.

Put into bat first, Jemimah made a career-best 86 off 78 balls while sharing a crucial 73-run stand with captain Harmanpreet Kaur (52) to take India to 228 for eight.

In reply, she took four wickets with her part-time off-spin, giving away only three runs, to play a major role in bowling out Bangladesh for 120 in 35.1 overs. She was also supported by leg-spin all-rounder Devika Vaidya taking three for 30 as Bangladesh lost their last seven wickets for 14 runs within 38 balls.

On yet another spin-friendly pitch, Bangladesh continued to pick early wickets as Priya Punia was castled by Marufa Akter in the fifth over. Six overs later, Yastika Bhatia’s promising innings was cut short by a run-out from Marufa, who got some hand while Smriti Mandhana played a straight drive and ran out the left-hander at the non-striker's end.

From there, spinners began to dry up runs and that pressure resulted in Smriti being deceived by leg-spinner Rabeya Khan and was clean bowled in an attempt to go big. Harmanpreet and Jemimah joined forces to resurrect India's innings with a mix of strike-rotation and hitting boundaries via sweeps or square drives whenever loose balls came from the Bangladesh bowlers.

After Harmanpreet retired hurt on 48 in the 37th over due to a left wrist injury sustained while completing a run, Jemimah reached her fifty in the 41st over by leaning forward in an extra cover drive off Marufa.

Jemimah made good use of sweep and cut shots while sharing a 58-run partnership with Harleen Deol (25 off 36 balls), before the latter was deceived by extra bounce and gave a catch behind off Nahida Akter in the 47th over.

Harmanpreet walked back to the crease to play the shot and reach her 18th ODI fifty, as Jemimah brought out delightful pull, sweep and leg-glance to increase India's total. Her fine knock came to an end when she was stumped off Nahida in the 49th over. Harmanpreet, Sneh Rana and Deepti Sharma fell in the final over bowled by Sultana Khatun as India reached a competitive total.

Brief Scores: India 228-8 in 50 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 86, Harmanpreet Kaur 52; Nahida Akter 2-37, Sultana Khatun 2-41) beat Bangladesh 120 in 35.1 overs (Fargana Hoque 47, Ritu Moni 27; Jemimah Rodrigues 4-3, Devika Vaidya 3-30) by 108 runs. IANS

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