Delhi, 21 September (H.S.):

In a spectacular display of power-hitting, India’s Smriti Mandhana smashed the fastest century ever recorded by an Indian player in One Day Internationals (ODIs), reaching the milestone in just 50 balls against Australia at Arun Jaitley Stadium. This record-breaking century surpassed the previous mark set by Virat Kohli in 2013, who had achieved the feat in 52 balls.

Mandhana’s blistering innings of 125 runs off 63 balls included 17 fours and 5 sixes, firmly establishing her class on a challenging pitch while chasing a daunting total of 413 set by the Australians. Despite her herculean effort, India fell short by 43 runs as Australia secured a 2-1 series victory in the three-match Women’s ODI series.

Australia’s batters lit up the innings with opener Georgia Voll top-scoring with 81 runs off 68 balls, and Beth Mooney’s sensational 138 off just 75 balls featuring 23 boundaries and a six. Australia’s final total of 412 in 47.5 overs set an imposing target that tested the Indian batting line-up.

India’s chase was rocked early by the loss of Pratika Rawal and Harleen Deol, but Mandhana, alongside captain Harmanpreet Kaur (52 off 35 balls), steadied the ship. Despite their partnership of 121 runs, quick wickets in the late overs stifled India’s momentum. Deepti Sharma’s gritty 72 off 58 balls offered resistance, but ultimately could not prevent the defeat.

From the bowling front, Australia’s Kim Garth, with three wickets, and Megan Schutt with two, were clinical in restricting the Indian side in the latter stages of the chase. For India, Arundhati Reddy’s three wickets stood out in Australia’s innings.

Mandhana’s century is hailed as one of the finest in Indian cricket, highlighting her ability to dominate top-class international bowling and breaking barriers for women’s cricket in India. This match also served as a major preparatory step ahead of the upcoming Women’s ODI World Cup 2025.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar