Charismatic India batter Smriti Mandhana finally played a knock befitting her calibre as India defeated New Zealand by six wickets in the deciding game to seal the three-match Women's ODI series 2-1 in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.
Mandhana (100 off 122 balls), who wasn't able to showcase her class at the top of the order in the two previous games, made her 8th ODI hundred century, the most by an Indian in the format.
India coasted to the 233 run target in 44.2 overs. New Zealand had recovered to reach 232 for five from a precarious 88/5 courtesy Brooke Halliday (86 off 96 deliveries).
Coming into the decider, Mandhana had only scored five runs in the two previous games and was even off coloured in the preceding T20 World Cup, but her solid stay at the crease, and her 118-run partnership with captain Harmanpreet Kaur (59 not out off 63) formed the cornerstone of the easy win.
Mandhana lost opening partner Shafali Verma (12) early but wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia (35) played an ideal foil for the senior teammate as they stitched together a 76-run partnership.
Yastika departed trying to play a fuller ball outside off but ended up giving a return catch to New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine. Her departure brought Harmanpreet to the crease and the partnership with Mandhana flourished, with the latter smashing 10 boundaries.
By the time Mandhana departed on 209, bowled by right-arm pacer Hannah Rowe in the 41st over, she had virtually accomplished the task for India.
Earlier, New Zealand middle-order batter Halliday struck a 96-ball 86 and lifted New Zealand to a fighting total.
To start with, the Indian bowlers fired in unison and had the visitors in all sorts of trouble with their disciplined line and length.
Looking to win the series and regain some lost ground after their early exit in the T20 World Cup, India began the match in earnest and struck twice to leave the Kiwis at 25 for two in 7.1 overs.
Jemimah Rodrigues and wicket-keeper Yastika combined to run out Suzie Bates while Lauren Down was jettisoned by Saima Thakor at the start of eighth over.
Introduced in the 11th over, young leg-spinner Priya Mishra (2/41 in 10 overs) gave India a major breakthrough when she bowled New Zealand captain Sophie Devine (9 off 11 balls), leaving the visitors in a spot of bother 36 for three.
New Zealand's hopes of putting up a competitive score rested on the shoulders of Georgia Plimmer, who dropped anchor considering the situation her team found itself in.
However, having ambled to 39, Plimmer was dismissed by Mishra, and her innings lasted 67 balls. Maddy Green was run out for a 15-ball 19 as New Zealand slipped to 88 for five in the 24th over.
In search for a partnership, the Kiwis finally found some flow to their innings with Halliday and wicketkeeper batter Isabella Gaze (25 off 49 balls) adding 64 runs for the sixth wicket.
