Jemimah Rodrigues etched her name in the record books with a blistering century as India Women posted 337/9 in 50 overs against South Africa Women in the fifth match of the Women’s Tri-Series 2025 at Colombo on Tuesday. Rodrigues delivered a sensational knock of 123 runs off just 101 balls, anchoring the middle overs and setting the tone for a massive total. Her innings featured 15 fours and one six, scored at a strike rate of 121.78.
This century places Jemimah Rodrigues second in the list of highest individual scores for Indian women cricketers against South Africa in Women's ODIs, behind Smriti Mandhana's 136 in 2018. Interestingly, this is also Rodrigues' highest score in Women's ODIs after her 102 against Ireland Women earlier this year.
After early wickets fell cheaply, Rodrigues steadied the innings and built a crucial 122-run partnership with Deepti Sharma after her 88-run stand with Smriti Mandhana. She rotated strike with ease and punished loose deliveries, showing maturity and composure under pressure. Rodrigues' timing and placement were top-notch as she reached her century in just 90 balls before finally getting out for 123 in the 43rd over.
South Africa Women opted to bowl first after winning the toss. India had a shaky start, losing Pratika Rawal for 1 in the second over. Harleen Deol and captain Harmanpreet Kaur added brief cameos, but it was Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma who turned the momentum with a massive fifth-wicket stand. Smriti Mandhana laid the early foundation with a steady 51 off 63 balls. After her dismissal at 138/4, Rodrigues and Deepti (93 off 84 balls) shifted gears, adding over 120 runs together. Quick cameos from Richa Ghosh (20 off 12) and Charani (6 off 3) in the death overs pushed India past the 330-mark.
Jemimah Rodrigues played a blinder of an innings to register her second ODI century and guide India Women to an imposing 337/9 in their Servo Cup Women's Tri-Nation Series match against South Africa Women at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium, Colombo, on Wednesday. South Africa needs 338 runs to win. The toss went South Africa's way, and Chloe Tryon, the South African captain, asked India to bat first. Her new ball bowlers were a trifle expensive, but they took early wickets, which made India wobble. However, things changed after Jemimah Rodrigues arrived at the crease.
Rodrigues smashed 15 fours and a single six on her way to 123 from 101 deliveries. This is her highest score in ODIs. Her previous best was 102, which came against Ireland in January this year. She faced 89 balls to reach her second ODI century. The 24-year-old played around the wicket in her fluent knock. The middle-order batter swept prodigiously, and most of her boundaries against the spinners were from it. Fittingly, Rodrigues unfurled the sweep for a single to register the milestone.
This is the second time she has passed the 100-run mark this year. It is her second big score against South Africa. Rodrigues' previous best against South Africa was in 2024, when she contributed 55 runs to India's victory over them. Rodrigues' impressive innings ended when she tried to hoick a slower ball from Masabata Klaas to the boundary. She didn't time it well and top-edged it to Sune Luus, stationed at point.
Rodrigues shared two vital partnerships - an 88-run stand off 99 balls with opener Smriti Mandhana (51) and a 122-run partnership off 115 balls with Deepti Sharma (93). The pair contributed almost the same number of runs to their potentially match-winning stand. Sharma reached her 13th ODI half-century in 62 balls. The 27-year-old, who played second fiddle to Rodrigues' brisk knock, took control of the innings in the last five overs. Sharma scythed South Africa's bowlers on her way to 93 off 84 deliveries. This is her highest ODI score.
Rodrigues and Sharma's partnership succeeded Rodrigues and Smriti Mandhana's 88-run fourth-wicket stand that stabilized India's innings. The duo joined forces when India was on 50/3 after a brisk but wicket-filled powerplay. Mandhana came out guns blazing but switched to the anchor role after Rodrigues' arrival. The 28-year-old compiled her 31st ODI half-century in 61 balls. Sadly, Mandhana couldn't kick on. She fell two balls after reaching her milestone. She tried to launch a Chloe Tryon delivery over the boundary but holed out to Nadine de Klerk at deep mid-wicket.
South Africa did not help their cause with subpar fielding in moments. Their bowling attack also failed to consistently hit good areas with the ball. They offered numerous boundary balls, and India's batters cashed in. Nadine de Klerk was the pick of the bowlers for South Africa. She took two wickets for 54 runs in nine overs. Masabata Klaas and Nonkululeko Mlaba also bagged a brace of wickets each, but were more expensive than the pacer. Chloe Tryon and Annerie Dercksen finished with a single wicket each.
Jemimah Rodrigues celebrated her second ODI century in style, pulling off her iconic guitar celebration. Jemimah reached her hundred in just 89 balls, leading India's charge towards a solid total in their final round-robin match against South Africa in the tri-series. After reaching her century, Jemimah took off her helmet and blew a flying kiss towards the dressing room. She then held her bat like a guitar and rocked the celebration.
Known for being expressive both on and off the field, the Mumbai cricketer - who has a passion for music - is going from strength to strength in this ODI World Cup year. Jemimah looked in full flow on Wednesday, striking 15 boundaries and a six in her 101-ball 123. She walked in to bat with India in a spot of bother, after Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur had fallen cheaply. India was reeling at 18 for 2 and later at 50 for 3 when Jemimah joined forces with Smriti Mandhana.
The pair led India's revival with an 88-run stand before Smriti was dismissed for a well-composed 51 off 63 deliveries. Jemimah was fluent as she kept the scoreboard ticking at a brisk pace. She then added a 122-run partnership with Deepti Sharma, who played the perfect finisher's role with an 84-ball 93. Jemimah looked good for more but was dismissed by Masabata Klaas in the 43rd over. Deepti, along with Richa Ghosh (20 off 12), ensured India posted 337 on the board in their 50 overs - the team's fifth-highest total in women's one-day internationals.
As India Women look ahead, this impressive performance by Jemimah Rodrigues not only cements her place in the team's batting lineup but also sets a thrilling tone for the remainder of the series.
