On a day when she became the highest run-scorer in international cricket, surpassing former England captain Charlotte Edwards' tally of 10,273 runs, India skipper Mithali Raj put the icing on the cake.
Rising to the occasion, the veteran batter cracked her third consecutive half-century (75 not out, 86b, 8x4) to notch a thrilling four-wicket 'consolation win' for India in the final ODI against India and England at New Road in Worcester on Sunday.
Mithali's masterly knock helped India chase down 220 in the last over, as the veteran batter drove Katherine Brunt through the point region for a four to seal the victory. The 38-year-old's 50-run stand for the sixth wicket with all-rounder Sneh Rana (24, 22b, 3x4) swung the game the visitors' way.
Needing 12 runs to become the top run-getter across all formats in international cricket, Mithali crossed the special mark when she lofted Natalie Sciver down the ground for a four.
Having cracked fifties (74 & 59) in the first two ODIs, Mithali looked solid in the middle yet again, taking her time to settle in before slamming her 58th ODI fifty in her 217th game in what is an epic career.
Opener Smriti Mandhana (49, 57b, 8x4) looked in sublime touch, but was trapped plumb in front while trying to play a Sarah Glenn ball on the leg side. Shafali Verma (19) was caught in the covers while mistiming a lofted shot off Kate Cross, while Rodrigues scratched around for 21 balls for her four runs, surviving a close lbw call before chopping a Sophie Ecclestone ball onto her stumps. Mithali's deputy Harmanpreet Kaur (16 off 38 balls) endured yet another failure as she fell lbw while trying to reverse sweep English skipper Heather Knight. While the shot wasn't on, what was more glaring was her blunder in not using the DRS option, or non-striker Mithali helping her seek it, even as the ball struck her pad outside the line of off-stump.
India lost half their side when all-rounder Deepti Sharma (18 off 25 balls) spooned an off-cutter back to Kate Cross.
Spectacular catch
Earlier, sprinting around the mid-wicket boundary, Mandhana dived towards the ball with full might, pulling off a spectacular catch to send back Sciver (49, 59b, 5x4), who looked rather frustrated, having been denied her half-century.
It was a moment of brilliance that was symbolic of India's impressive show in the field, as they bowled England out for 219 in 47 overs. Bowling first for the first time in the series, the visitors, looking hungry to salvage some pride in an inconsequential game after having already lost the series, produced a disciplined performance with the ball after rain reduced the game to 47 overs-a-side.
Winning her first toss in four matches on the tour, India skipper Mithali Raj decided to bowl in damp conditions.
Brief Scores: England 221 in 47 overs (Natalie Sciver 49, Heather Knight 46, Laura Winfield-Hill 36; Deepti Sharma 3-47) lost to India 220-6 in 46.3 overs (Mithali Raj 75 not out, Smriti Mandhana 49) by four wickets
