Once is an accident, twice is co-incidence, but three times is a pattern. Smriti Mandhana, perceived to be one of India’s better fielders, has repeatedly shown the knack in recent times of letting slip simple catches and Friday was no different when she let Leah Paul survive at a crucial juncture.
Ireland suffered a drastic top and middle-order collapse in the first ODI against India at Rajkot after a promising opening stand of 27 to be left reeling at 56/4 early in their innings. However, just when the hosts seemed on track to wrap up the visitors without much ado, Gaby Lewis and Leah Paul showed incredible tenacity to stitch together a century stand and ensure the Irish set a competitive total for their fancied opponents. The partnership was not without its moments though, the best of which came in the 33rd over but much to the fans’ horror, India let slip the opportunity in embarrassing fashion.
Leah, batting on 45 and looking for her half century at the time, tried to dispatch Saima Thakor towards the slog sweep with an ambitious slog sweep but all she managed was an inside edge. Smriti, stationed at midwicket, was quick to sense the chance and sprinted sideways to settle herself under the ball’s trajectroy well in time. As the ball dipped down a throat, a wicket looked inevitable but the white rock somehow struck the Indian skipper’s hands and spilled out emphatically, leaving the veteran red-faced. It is not the first sitter Smriti has dropped in recent times, having repeatedly done so for India in internationals that have at times cost the team in big ways. On this occassion too, Paul added another 15 runs to her tally as the partnership lasted another six overs before India were able to breakthrough again and could come back to bite them during the chase.
Twitterati was quick to draw comparisons of Smriti with her men’s counterpart Rohit Sharma, who also recently ended the World Test Championship with most dropped catches amongst all teams.
This is really poor poor fielding!
Can’t accept this!
Blunder from Smriti!
— DJ Sinha (@sdj374531) January 10, 2025
ALways here and her again!
What was that from Captain?
— DJ Sinha (@sdj374531) January 10, 2025
Not that difficult tho!
Smriti Mandhana does what she issss!!!!
— DJ Sinha (@sdj374531) January 10, 2025
How can she drop that yaar!
Such an easy catch!
— DJ Sinha (@sdj374531) January 10, 2025
Dropped that dolly!!!!!!!
— DJ Sinha (@sdj374531) January 10, 2025
God knows!
