This is her third hundred against Australia in women's ODIs.
After failing to defend 281-run total in the first match, India needed someone to go after the opposition bowlers right from the word go to help India post a commendable total in the IND-W vs AUS-W 2nd ODI. Star India opener Smriti Mandhana took that responsibility of it, following up the last match’s fifty with a quickfire hundred against the mighty Australian side.
Mandhana began her innings on a positive note, smashing a six to veteran spinner Ashleigh Gardner for her second scoring shot in the innings. She kept finding the gaps and running quick singles and doubles as India crossed the 50-run mark inside eight overs, forging yet another fifty partnerships with fellow opening partner Pratika Rawal. The southpaw batter soon notched up a half-century off just 45 balls, smashing a six over deep wicket.
She further increased the pace of her knock, hitting a couple of fours and a six against leg-spinner Georgia Wareham in the 18th over. In the process, Mandhana received a lifeline, with Darcy Brown dropping her at deep backward square leg. In between, India suffered a couple of blows with Harleen Deol and captain Harmanpreet Kaur returning to dugout cheaply. She continued to attack Aussie bowlers and quickly brought her 12th ODI hundred, her third against the Kangaroos. However, Mandhana fell shortly after getting a ton, laced with 14 eye-catching fours and four humongous sixes.
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With a century, Mandhana became the batter with joint third most hundred in women’s ODI cricket with Tamsin Tilley Beaumont of England. Only Australian legend Meg Lanning and New Zealand great Suzi Bates are ahead of her with 15 and 13 tons to their name respectively.
This is her third century against the Kangaroos in women’s ODIs, second joint most with Bates. England skipper Nat Sciver Brunt currently holds the record for most hundreds against Aussies with four tons to her name. Notably, no other Indian boasts multiple WODI hundreds against Australia.
The left-hand batter continued to attack Aussie bowlers, taking 22 more deliveries to convert into the hundred. She reached the hundred off just 77 balls, the second fastest by Indian. It’s Smriti Mandhana, who himself holds the record for fastest ton by Indian against Ireland women in Rajkot in earlier this year.
Smriti Mandhana reattained her No.1 spot following a quick-fire fifty in the latest women’s ODI ranking released on Tuesday. She had amassed 58 runs off just 63 balls, registering a record fifty hundred run opening stand for the first wicket. Mandhana, who became the world no.1 in 2019 for the first time, now has two stints in the top spot in the calender year. She has now strengthened her position with yet another hundred.
The 29-year-old now has 791 runs under her kitty against Australia at an impressive average of 43.94 and a staggering strike rate off 99.74. She is currently the seventh leading run-getter in women’s ODI cricket history with 4763 runs in 107 matches, averaging 47.15. The legendary Mithali Raj is the leading run-getter in WODIs, with 7805 runs in 211 innings, averaging 50.68.
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