Mandhana's second-fastest ton for India shatters records during second ODI against Australia

Mullanpur (Punjab) [India], September 17 (ANI): A handful of records toppled when vice-captain Smriti Mandhana notched the fastest ton in ODIs for India at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium during the second fixture against Australia on Wednesday.

Barely a day after becoming the number one Women’s ODI batter, Mandhana put her prolific form on exhibition in Mullanpur after being sent to bat first. With a swashbuckling performance, Mandhana cantered to her 12th ODI ton to level England’s Tammy Beaumont’s tally of centuries in the format. Manadhana needed just 106 innings to carve her name in history, while Beaumont achieved the same in 130.

On the first delivery of the 29th over, she thumped the ball for a four and celebrated her hundred in just 77 deliveries, the second-fastest against Australia Women in the format. Mandhana’s 77-ball effort is also the second-fastest century for India in ODIs, behind her rollicking 70-ball ton against Ireland in Rajkot earlier this year.

She is the first player in women’s ODIs history to register three or more centuries in two different calendar years, having previously conjured four centuries in 2024. The 29-year-old southpaw’s exploits came to a bitter end in the 33rd over. She picked out Ashleigh Gardner in the deep after heaving it off the thick inside half off Tahlia McGrath and returned with a score of 117(91).

Mandhana, a stylish opener, on the eve of the contest, added another feather to her cap. She moved to the summit of the ODI batting rankings, a position she first reached in January 2019 and most recently held in July this year. This is her fourth stint at the top.

In the first ODI, with her flamboyant style, she hammered 58 off 63 balls, courtesy of six fours and two sixes. Mandhana overtook New Zealand’s Amy Satterthwaite to become the seventh-highest run-getter in ODIs.

After Australia punched Mandhana’s return ticket to the dressing room, Deepti Sharma chipped in with 40(53), Richa Ghosh (29 off 33) and Sneh Rana (24 off 18) buoyed India to 292 with their impactful cameos towards the end. (ANI)

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