#OTD in 2017 | Deepti Sharma and Punam Raut's 320 run stand

On this day in 2017, India's Deepti Sharma and Punam Raut achieved a miraculous feat of the highest partnership in women's ODI history. On 15th May in 2017, Indian openers Deepti Sharma and Punam Raut recorded the highest stand ever for any wicket in Women's ODI. 

The Indian Women's cricket team have given their fans an ample amount of joy in the recent past. One such moment was given by this opening pair in 2017 when they scored an astonishing 320 runs for the first wicket in an ODI game against Ireland at Potchefstroom in South Africa.

This record feels even more special when you know that the opening pair of Deepti Sharma and Punam Raut was a makeshift one as their regular opener Smriti Mandhana was ruled out of the series due to an injury. India were playing a Women's quadrangular series with South Africa, Zimbabwe and Ireland in South Africa. 

It was India's fourth match in the series when captain Mithali Raj decided to bat first for the first time in the series after winning the first three games batting second. Deepti Sharma and Punam Raut started slowly against the new ball as it was doing a bit off the wicket on a fine Monday morning. 

After seeing off the new ball, both the openers started to open their hands, and Raut completed her half-century just before the halfway mark during the 24th over. After playing second fiddle in the first 25 overs, Deepti Sharma changed gears and reached her 50 in 82 balls with three boundaries in the 26th over. Since then, there was no looking back for the pair. 

Deepti Sharma scored the next 50 runs in just 44 balls to bring up her maiden ODI century in 126 balls. Both the openers continued to show a solid display of stroke play and kept humiliating the Irish bowlers that afternoon. Deepti Sharma reached the 150 mark in the next 18 balls, followed by Raut's century in 109 balls. 

Finally, in the 44th over, they crossed the 300 mark and became the first ever pair to cross the 300 runs partnership in Women's ODI. After that, Rachel Delaney removed Deepti Sharma, which broke the partnership in the 46th over. The record partnership of 320 runs came to an end with Deepti Sharma scoring a mammoth 188 runs in 160 balls, which was the second highest individual score ever in Women's ODI back then and the third highest currently. Punam Raut, unfortunately, followed Deepti Sharma, who retired hurt after making 109 in 116 balls.

India went on to score 358 for the loss of 2 wickets in 50 overs. However, Ireland Women never came back in the game and got bowled out for just 109 runs, making India win by 249 runs, India's largest victory by runs to date in Women's ODI.