Indian vice-captain Smriti Mandhana continued her smashing form in the ongoing ODI series against Australia women, scoring her 12th century in the format, third joint-highest in the world. Mandhana got to her milestone off just 76 deliveries. There were a few contributions of short 20-odd knocks while Deepti Sharma scored 40, but it was Mandhana who steered the Indian innings throughout and made sure that India threatened the 300-run mark, if not reach there.
Mandhana extended her reign at the top with the most centuries for India Women in ODIs and having scored all those 12 hundreds as an opener, she equalled the record for most tons in the format while playing at the top. Suzie Bates and Tammy Beaumont also have 12 centuries as an opener in women's ODIs.
Most centuries in Women's ODIs as opener
12 - Suzie Bates (New Zealand), in 130
12 - Tammy Beaumont (England), in 113 innings
12 - Smriti Mandhana (India), in 106 innings
9 - Charlotte Edwards (England), in 117 innings
9 - Hayley Matthews (West Indies), in 82 innings
Mandhana's innings was rapid and fruitful as it gave the rest of the batting line-up those extra few balls to try and take the score to 300, even though they couldn't and Australia probably for the first time in recent times, crumbled under scoreboard pressure, showing a few chinks in their armour. The Indian opener was just glad that finally her big innings against Australia in ODIs came in a winning cause.
“The last two hundreds which I got against Australia were in the losing cause, so happy that we won the match today," Mandhana, who was adjudged the Player of the Match for the 17th time in ODIs, said after the match.
"The game plan was simple. In the powerplay, you have to make use of the two fielders out, try and play your shots and build the innings. Whatever is in my slot, I'll go for it. It all depends on the conditions and who we play. You know the Australian team and you need to get 280-290 so that our bowlers get those 20-30 runs extra cushion,” she added.
The two teams will now play the decider in Delhi on Saturday, September 20.