A 16-year-old Mumbai girl made her debut in India on April 5, 2013. Smriti Mandhana is her formal name. Mandhana has established herself as a slick and assertive opener.
The 23-year-old is already a regular in India. However, Mandhana’s batting prowess has earned her a spot in Indian and international T20 competitions. The Queensland Heat Women, Trailblazers, and Western Storm have all used her as a starter.
1.90 (72) vs England, ICC Women’s World Cup at Derby, June 24, 2017
On the first day of the 2017 Women’s World Cup, India defeated hosts England by a score of 35 runs. India had not defeated England since 2012. Punam Raut, Smriti Mandhana, and skipper Mithali Raj were among India’s top three on that day in the Derby, and they helped the team achieve a tough total of 281/3 in 50 overs. While Raut and Raj scored 86 and 71 runs respectively, it was Mandhana’s 90 off 72 deliveries that propelled the Indian innings forward.
2.83 (55) vs Australia, ICC Women’s World T20 at Providence, November 17, 2018
India and Australia were the only unbeaten teams in Group B of the competition heading into this match. This match’s winner would go on to win the group. The stakes were, of course, quite high. India concluded with a good score of 167/8 in 20 overs thanks to Mandhana’s massive smashes. The remainder was left up to Anuja Patil, Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav, and Deepti Sharm.
3. Smriti Mandhana during her 51 (108) vs England, Only Test, India Women tour of England at Wormsley
On paper, this was supposed to be a one-sided match. Between India and England, there was a huge gap in experience. Mandhana was unconcerned about what was going on around her. To get a fifty in her Test debut, she batted for 132 minutes, facing 108 balls and hitting 9 boundaries. India crossed the finish line with six wickets in hand, thanks to Indian skipper Mithali Raj’s half-century.
Source: The Bridge
