Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur Set Records in India’s Highest Home ODI Total

19
Jun/24

Smriti Mandhana, continuing her fine form from the first match of the series, and Harmanpreet Kaur put on a record-breaking partnership to lead India to a formidable score of 325-3. Mandhana scored her seventh ODI century, equalling Mithali Raj’s record for the most centuries by an Indian woman in ODIs, and moving to joint 10th on the global list.

Slow Start, Explosive Finish

India had a cautious start under cloudy skies, with the team at 100-2 by the end of the 23rd over when Mandhana and Kaur joined forces. Mandhana soon reached her half-century, and the partnership began to flourish. The fifty partnership came off 46 balls, and the pair accelerated the scoring rate significantly as the innings progressed. Mandhana reached the 90s with three consecutive fours off Nondumiso Shangase.

South Africa’s fielding lapses aided the Indian batters. Kaur was dropped on 41 by Masabata Klaas, and Mandhana capitalized on the opportunity, bringing up her century shortly after. Mandhana, who was initially 19 off 40 balls, scored her second fifty off just 33 balls. By the 40th over, India had reached 207-2, with the hundred partnership between Mandhana and Kaur coming off just 90 balls.

Kaur reached her 50 off 58 balls, marking her 24th fifty-plus score in ODIs. She then accelerated as India aimed for an unprecedented 300-run mark in a home ODI. A 19-run over from Klaas boosted their efforts.

Mandhana was eventually dismissed for a career-best 136 off 120 balls, featuring 18 fours and two sixes. This score is the highest individual score by an Indian woman in an ODI in India and the fifth-highest overall for the country.

Mandhana magic with the ball

 

It was not just the batting of Smriti Mandhana that caught everyone’s attention. Rather, her bowling was a topic of discussion all around social media, as she clinched her maiden wicket in her first outing with the ball in hand.

With her bowling, she dismissed South Africa’s Aune Luss, who was caught behind, to claim her first international wicket.

Kaur’s Milestone and India’s Record Total

Kaur reached her century in the final over, finishing on 100 off 87 balls, with nine fours and three sixes. Her innings featured the highest strike rate (117.00) for a century in a women’s ODI in India and the fourth-highest for any Indian woman overall.

India ended their innings at 325-3, marking their highest score in a women’s ODI at home and their third-highest total overall. The partnership between Kaur and Mandhana totalled 171 runs, the third-highest for the third wicket for India in women’s ODIs, and featured the highest run rate for any century partnership for the third wicket for India.

This match also marked the fourth instance of two Indian women scoring centuries in the same ODI. Mandhana and Kaur’s exceptional performances and record-setting partnership highlight the growing strength and potential of the Indian women’s cricket team. With these achievements, India has set a high benchmark for future games and demonstrated their capability to compete and excel globally.

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