New Chandigarh: Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana lit up the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium with a blistering innings, registering the second-fastest century by an Indian woman in ODIs.
She reached the milestone in just 77 balls against Australia in the second match of the series, only behind her own record of 70 balls vs Ireland earlier this year in Rajkot.
Dominant Batting Display
Smriti eventually scored 117 off 91 deliveries, studded with 14 fours and four sixes, striking at 128.57. She brought up her 12th ODI hundred with a lofted six over mid-off against Tahlia McGrath.
Her ton is now the fastest century against Australia in women’s ODIs, surpassing Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 79-ball effort.
Historic Milestones
- Smriti is now level with England’s Tammy Beaumont with 12 ODI hundreds.
- Only Suzie Bates (13) and Meg Lanning (15) are ahead on the all-time list.
- She has also equalled Suzie Bates’ record for most centuries as an opener (12).
Smriti reached the landmark in her 106th innings as an opener since debuting in 2013, showing remarkable consistency at the top of the order.
A Different Side to Smriti
Unlike her usual off-side dominance, Smriti scored heavily on the leg-side, showcasing her adaptability. Her knock comes in a purple patch for Indian batters, following Harmanpreet Kaur’s 82-ball ton vs England and Jemimah Rodrigues’ 89-ball century vs South Africa.
Setting the Platform
With Jemimah unavailable for the series due to viral fever, Smriti shouldered the responsibility and delivered. Although she was dismissed by Tahlia in the 33rd over, her knock has set India on course for a 300-plus total against the world champions.