India opener Smriti Mandhana etched her name into the history book by becoming the second-highest run-scorer for the nation on Sunday. In a remarkable achievement, she surpassed the 7000-run milestone in international cricket during the first ODI against South Africa at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
With her fighting hundred, Smriti Mandhana joined former India star Mithali Raj in the elite list and became the second Indian woman to reach this landmark. Mandhana played a fighting knock of 117 off 127 deliveries, which took her overall international tally to 7,059 runs. Her tally at the global stage is only bettered by former captain Mithali’s 10,868 runs.
While the current India captain, Harmanpreet Kaur is not far behind Mandhana, having scored 6,870 runs in the international circuit across all formats, highlighting the exceptional talent and consistency of India’s batting lineup.
Smriti Mandhana scores a century
1⃣st ODI ton at home
2⃣nd ODI ton against South Africa
6⃣th ODI ton overall𝙏𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝘼 𝘽𝙤𝙬! 🫡 🫡@mandhana_smriti's reaction & then, of those at the stadium say it all! 👏 👏
Follow The Match ▶️ https://t.co/EbYe44lnkQ #TeamIndia | #INDvSA | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/Nc5uaJEUnH
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) June 16, 2024
The Indian vice-captain scored her sixth ODI ton and her first on home soil. She surpassed Harmanpreet Kaur’s tally of five, and her record is only bettered by Mithali Raj’s seven. Mithali took 211 innings to hit seven centuries, and Harmanpreet racked up five centuries in 112 innings. Mandhana took just 83 innings to smash six hundreds.
ALSO READ: IND vs SA: Smriti Mandhana, Asha Sobhana Star As India Beat South Africa Convincingly
Notably in the same match, Deepti Sharma also reached a significant milestone during her 37-run innings in her 200th international match, surpassing the 2000-run mark in ODI cricket.
After choosing to bat first, India struggled to score but Smriti Mandhana capitalized on every opportunity to keep things in their favour. South Africa reduced India to 99/5, and Mandhana lifted the hosts from a peculiar situation with her stunning counter-attacking knock. Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma build up a 50-run partnership, keeping the momentum going for India.
Khaka then took her second wicket of the match, bringing a big breakthrough for her team by removing Deepti for 37. In the 43rd over of the game, Mandhana brought her sixth ODI century and her first ODI hundred at home. Mandhana’s impressive 117 runs knock ended when she attempted to pull her to the backward square leg fence, but Sune Luus caught her easily.
In the last over of the innings, India managed to get 12 runs to take India’s score to 265/8.
The chase got off to a shaky start as South Africa lost Laura Wolvaardt, the returning Tazmin Brits and Anneke Bosch for 33 runs. Marizanne Kapp and Sune Luus chipped in briefly but none of the batters could counteract the spin threat under lights. India’s oldest ODI debutant Asha Sobhana, showing no nerves on her debut, starred with four wickets to skittle the visitors for 122, leading India to a 143-run victory.
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