Smriti Mandhana scored 8th hundred in Women's ODIs, 3rd in chase. What makes Smriti Mandhana so special in this format? Is she among the greatest India batters?
Smriti Mandhana slammed her eighth ODI century and, in process, surpassed the former legendary batter Mithali Raj's tally of seven. With her match-winning knock of 100 against New Zealand at Ahmedabad, she entered the record books for making the most centuries as an India women’s batter in ODIs.
While this century gave India a series win over the Kiwis’, it will also be a huge sigh of relief for Mandhana. She didn’t have the best of times in the first two fixtures, scoring just 5 and 0, respectively. Moreover, her T20 World Cup numbers were below par (75 runs in four innings). So, she has been short of runs and confidence coming into this game. She could also feel the pressure in the initial phase of her innings.
She made only nine in the first 25 balls, but the left-hander absorbed the pressure with all her experience and propelled India over the finish line. This series victory will serve as a significant boost for India following their disappointing World T20 campaign, as Mandhana rose to the challenge.
Mandhana: Master chaser in ODIs
The ace opening batter from India is turning out to be one of the most prolific chasers in women’s ODI cricket. While chasing, Mandhana scored 1875 runs in just 39 innings at an incredible average of 56.81, making her the 14th highest ODI run-getter in chases.
Her average batting second is bettered only by Mithali Raj (3352 at 63.24), Meg Lanning (2625 at 65.62), and Karen Rolton (1708 at 56.93). What makes her numbers even greater is that most of these runs came in India’s victories. She has amassed 1568 runs in 27 successful chases for India, and it has come at an average of 74.66. All her three centuries while batting second have come in a successful cause.
This not just shows her penchant for scoring runs but also doing so when her team requires it the most. These impressive numbers will only get better as her career progresses, and running from her in pressure situations is something India needs the most.
Is she the greatest woman batter of India?
It is too early to say that Mandhana is the greatest woman batter for India, but she is on the path to greatness. Her influence in India winning games in the ODI format is enormous (2676 runs at 58.17 in 52 innings), and the starts she provides at the top are invaluable to the team. She sets the tone for the innings, and India have benefitted from it.
Smriti Mandhana, still only 28, is already the second-highest run-getter (3690) in women’s ODIs for India, only behind Mithali Raj’s 7805. She has always shown the signs of taking responsibility in any given situation and is viewed as a successor to Harmanpreet Kaur in leading the India women’s side across formats. More of such knocks, especially in crucial must-win games, will put her on the cusp of greatness.
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