Smriti Mandhana Joins Virat Kohli in Record Books with Fifty Plus Scores

Smriti Mandhana, the star opener of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team, has cemented her place among the greats by becoming the second fastest Indian cricketer, after Virat Kohli, to reach 33 scores of over 50 runs in ODI matches!

This incredible feat came during the thrilling second ODI against South Africa, where Mandhana followed up her century in the first match with another impressive ton.

While the early part of her innings was a bit slow, Mandhana found her rhythm later on, scoring crucial runs alongside Harmanpreet Kaur. This partnership not only helped India reach a strong total of 325 runs, but also saw both batters achieving personal milestones.

Mandhana’s knock of 136 runs is the highest individual score for an Indian woman playing an ODI match at home. This fifty also puts her in elite company – she’s now tied with former Indian captain Mithali Raj for the most ODI centuries by an Indian woman (both with 7), and sits jointly at number 10 on the global list!

Interestingly, Mandhana isn’t the only record-breaker in this match. Her teammate, Harmanpreet Kaur, also smashed a brilliant century, reaching the mark in just 87 balls – the fastest ever for an Indian woman in an ODI match!

This high-scoring encounter saw a total of 646 runs scored, making it the second-highest total in a women’s ODI, falling just short of the record set in 2012 between England and South Africa (678 runs). It also witnessed the most sixes ever hit in a women’s ODI – a whopping 15, with 8 coming from the Indian batters!

With her outstanding performances, Smriti Mandhana has not only helped India take a strong lead in the series, but has also etched her name in the history books alongside some of the greatest cricketers.