India’s star opener Smriti Mandhana reached a significant milestone by surpassing 7000 international runs across all formats during the first ODI against South Africa at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday. Mandhana’s determined century was pivotal in the match, highlighting her consistency and resilience.
1⃣1⃣7⃣ Runs
1⃣2⃣7⃣ Balls
1⃣2⃣ Fours
1⃣ SixSmriti Mandhana 🤝 Superb Innings
Relive that knock 🎥 🔽 #TeamIndia | #INDvSA | @mandhana_smriti | @IDFCFIRSTBank
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) June 16, 2024
Smriti Mandhana Among The Elites
Known for her elegant stroke play and solid technique, Mandhana achieved this landmark with a gritty 56-run innings. This accomplishment places her in an elite group of Indian women cricketers, making her the second-highest run-scorer for India in international cricket, trailing only former captain Mithali Raj, who has 10,868 runs.
Teammate and current captain Harmanpreet Kaur is also nearing this milestone, having accumulated 6,870 runs across all formats, making her the third-highest run-scorer for India. Kaur’s proximity to the 7000-run mark indicates the strength of India’s batting lineup in women’s cricket. In the first match of the three-game ODI series against South Africa, India faced a formidable bowling attack. Mandhana’s sixth ODI century lifted the Indian women’s team from a precarious 99 for five to a competitive 265 for eight.
Mandhana’s experience and calm under pressure were evident as she built crucial partnerships to guide India to a competitive total. After India elected to bat, they found themselves in a tight spot with half the side dismissed for barely 100 runs. Mandhana (117 off 127 balls) stabilized the innings with an 81-run fifth-wicket partnership with Deepti Sharma (37). She also contributed to a 58-run stand with Pooja Vastrakar (31 not out) before being dismissed by Masabata Klaas.
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