ICC Women's World Cup 2017: Mithali Raj & Co script history, become first team to successfully use Decision Review System

Screen Grab (icc-cricket.com)

New Delhi: Indian team that headed to England for their 2017 Women's World Cup campaign, not only kick-started their journey with a comfortable 35-run victory over the host nation, but also scripted history when they became the first team to successfully use the Decision Review System (DRS) in women's cricket.

It was days prior to the World Cup that International Cricket Council (ICC) CEO Dave Richardson announced through a social media release that DRS would be used for the first time in women's cricket. And it was only in the second match of the opening day that witnessed the first use of it.

It was the 18th over of England's innings where Deepti Sharma was introduced into the attack. English batswoman Natalie Scriver tried to play a sweep shot off the first ball, but the ball got a knick of her gloves as wicketkeeper Sushma Verma hurtled to take the catch.

The umpire wasn't convinced despite the huge appeal by Indian eves, which forced Mithali to go for the review. Umpires upstairs checked and rechecked as eventually, the decision went in favour of the Women in Blue.

WICKET: DRS comes into play for the first time this WWC, as Natalie Sciver is dismissed for 18 https://t.co/Zqh4P1dR62 #cricket @icc

— Cricket-atti (@cricketatti) June 27, 2017

Put to bat first, openers Punam Raut (86) and Smriti Mandhana (90) wove a ravishing 144-run stand followed by skipper Mithali (71) chipping in a few boundaries as India posted a total of 281. It was the captain's seventh consecutive half century in ODIs.

Mithali Raj and pack of blues returned to trouble the English side as the host team failed to build on any crucial partnership. It was only Fran Wilson's knock of 81 that proved to be a concern for the visitors, a but a sensational run out towards the fag end of their innings turned things in India's favour. Deepti Sharma scalped three wickets, generated a run out, as England ceased to 246 runs with still 15 deliveries to spare.