Smriti Mandhana scores two tons in two games, emulating Mithali Raj to become the first Indian woman to achieve this task. Opener Smriti Mandhana bludgeoned a 136-run knock from 120 balls as the India women look to put the pin on the backs of the Laura Wolvaardt-led side after thrashing them by 143 runs on Sunday.
HISTORIC MOMENT IN INDIAN WOMEN’S CRICKET…!!!
– Smriti Mandhana equals Mithali Raj for most hundreds by an Indian in Women’s ODIs. 🤯🔥#INDvSA #TeamIndia #ODI #SmritiMandhana pic.twitter.com/ILRVZZdi4P
— Pradeep Singh kurmi (@prap_India) June 19, 2024
Today during the second one-day international match between India and South Africa at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore, India women’s cricket team opener Smriti Mandhana completed two record-breaking feats. Mandhana scored 136 runs in 120 balls as India A are eyeing the series victory against Laura Wolvaardt’s side; India A won the first match by 143 runs at the same venue yesterday.
During the first game of the series from Bengaluru, she had scored 117 off 127, including 12 fours and a six which helped India to post a good score of 265 for eight. To date, another batter was never able to score more than 40 points. On Wednesday, the left handed batswoman cranked up her innings to notch another century and build a monumental 136 to gather India from a vulnerable state of going two down for 100 in 23 overs.
SMRITI MANDHANA HAVE 7 HUNDREDS FROM ONLY 83 INNIGS 😰 pic.twitter.com/QtSNAcnZPg
— Bhai_cric_he (@bhai_cric_he) June 19, 2024
The knock saw Mandhana for the first time join the elite list of Indian women to score hundreds in limited overs cricket and second overall after Sandhya Agarwal, who scored hundreds during a day triangular series in 1986 in the Test series against England. The knock also enabled her to equal former Indian Skipper, Mithali Raj on the number of centuries scored in the one-day format.
They are both equal on seven centuries and share the 10th spot on the list of players with the most tons, with Meg Lanning having scored 15 tons. In total, across all formats, she is ranked equal seventh with Hannah Jones and Fran Wilson, behind the New Zealander Suzie Bates (12) and the English pair of Tammy Beaumont and Charlotte Edwards (9).
Smriti Mandhana Equals Mithali Raj’s Record Of Most Centuries In Women’s ODI Cricket https://t.co/hHFnn3gfqn
— Adam (@Toyertoys5) June 19, 2024
This was also Mandhana’s record-breaking best score in her ODI cricketing career surpassing her previous best of 135 against South Africa in the year 2018. This is now the fourth top individual score that an Indian batter achieved in the women’s ODIs and the third by an opener.
The current series is a part of the ICC Women’s Championship cycle for 2022–2025. Ten teams will compete in a one-day game to see who qualifies for the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup. As the host country, India has already qualified for the competition. Australia has won the cycles from 2014–16 and 2017–20, making them the two-time defending champions.
On June 23, in Bengaluru, the series finale against South Africa will take place. A single Test match and three Twenty20 International matches will follow in Chennai.
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