India beat Ireland by six wickets in opening ODI

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Smitri Mandhana contributed 41 to India's tally as they comfortably chased down Ireland's 238-7Image source, Getty Images

Image caption,

Smitri Mandhana is captaining India in the ODI series against Ireland with regular skipper Harmanpreet Kaur being rested

Women's ODI series - first of three, Rajkot

Ireland 238-7 (50 overs): Lewis 92, Paul 59; Mishra 2-56

India 241-4 (34.3 overs): Rawal 89, Hasabnis 53*; Maguire 3-57

India win by six wickets

Scorecard

India secured a dominant six-wicket win over Ireland in the opening one-day international in Rajkot.

Skipper Gaby Lewis hit 92 as the tourists posted 238-7 but the tally never looked likely to be enough and Pratika Rawal's 89 helped the hosts clinch victory with 15.3 overs to spare as the first bilateral series between the sides got under way.

Despite Lewis' impressive batting in her 50th one-day international, Ireland slipped to 56-4 by the 14th over with Priya Mishra's two wickets including dismissing Laura Delany for a first-ball duck.

However, Lewis and Leah Paul (59) produced a 117-run partnership to steady the Ireland innings.

The fifth-wicket stand was ended by Harleen Deol running out Paul and Lewis' 129-ball innings, which included 15 fours, then concluded as she was caught and bowled by Deepti Sharma.

Arlene Kelly's 28 and Christina Coulter Reilly's unbeaten 15 helped push Ireland to 238-7 but India were strong favourites as they took to the middle.

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption,

Gaby Lewis' 92 made her Ireland's record ODI runs scorer as her tally of 1414 moved two beyond Miriam Grealey's previous mark from 2005

Smitri Mandhana, skippering India in Harmanpreet Kaur's absence, helped the hosts rattle up 70 runs inside 10 overs before she was out for 41 with Freya Sargent taking the wicket.

And while Aimee Maguire dismissed Harleen Deol (20) and Jemimah Rodrigues (9), the latter stumped by wicketkeeper Coulter Reilly, Rawal's 96-ball 89 enabled India to speed towards Ireland's tally.

Maguire's third wicket left Rawal 11 shy of a century after producing a 116-run partnership with Tejal Hasabnis, who was unbeaten on 53 as the hosts wrapped up their comprehensive victory.

Lewis' innings was the highest ODI score by an Ireland woman against India.

The knock also made Lewis Ireland women's record ODI runs maker as she moved to 1414 - two beyond Miriam Grealey's tally which had stood since 2005.

The sides will meet again in Rajkot on Sunday and Wednesday.

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