Smriti Mandhana scored her fourth ODI century of 2024 throughout India’s defeat to Australia on the WACA. This outstanding achievement set a brand new all-time report for essentially the most centuries scored in a calendar yr in girls’s ODIs, in response to Wisden. Mandhana’s innings got here as India chased 299, a goal set by Australia because of Annabel Sutherland’s 110 off 99 balls, with Ashleigh Gardner and Tahlia McGrath additionally contributing half-centuries. Regardless of shedding her opening associate, Richa Ghosh, early–bowled by Megan Schutt–Mandhana stood out in an in any other case disappointing efficiency by the Indian batting lineup.
Following Harleen Deol’s dismissal for 39 by Alana King, Mandhana held the innings collectively as wickets fell quickly round her. Harmanpreet Kaur managed solely 12 runs off 22 balls earlier than being dismissed, whereas Jemimah Rodrigues contributed 16. The decrease order crumbled, with Deepti Sharma, Minnu Mani, and Saima Thakor all falling for single-digit scores.
Mandhana reached her half-century off 50 balls within the 14th over, at a time when India’s prospects appeared brighter with a run charge exceeding 5 an over and just one wicket down. She introduced up her century by tucking a supply from King to brief nice leg, reaching the milestone in 103 balls. Nevertheless, she was dismissed lower than two overs later for 105, sparking India’s collapse.
This century marked Mandhana’s fourth of the yr, following two consecutive centuries in opposition to South Africa in June and one other in opposition to New Zealand in October. Her achievement of 4 centuries in a single calendar yr units a brand new report in girls’s ODIs, surpassing the earlier mark held by seven gamers who every scored three centuries in a yr.
Mandhana’s newest century additionally elevated her place on the all-time century record in girls’s ODIs, bringing her complete to 9. She is now tied with Nat Sciver-Brunt, Chamari Athapaththu, and Charlotte Edwards in joint fourth place. Tammy Beaumont, with 10 ODI centuries, is Mandhana’s subsequent goal.
Mandhana’s distinctive type in 2024 underscores her standing as one of many premier batters in girls’s cricket, regardless of India’s struggles within the sequence in opposition to Australia.
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