Smriti Mandhana registered her name in the record books with a brilliant century against Australia in the third ODI at W.A.C.A. Ground, Perth. The knock went in vain as India lost the match by 83 runs, but the Indian star did manage to script history with his fourth century in the calendar year. Chasing the 299-run target, Mandhana fought a lone battle with the bat for the visitors and slammed 105 runs off 109 balls. The left-handed batter kept India alive in the chase until she was in the middle, but after her departure, India suffered a massive collapse as they went from 189/3 to 210 all-out.
Madhana has been the most in-form batter for India this year in ODIs, but she hasn’t got much support from the other end. As a result, the Women in Blue missed out on several opportunities to get over the line.
The Indian vice-captain became the first women’s cricketer to score four ODI centuries in a calendar year. Earlier, seven women cricketers hit three ODI tons in a year – which includes South African captain Laura Wolvaardt who did it this year. Meanwhile, the others on the list are Meg Lanning (2016), Nat Sciver-Brunt (2023), Sophie Devine (2018), Sidra Amin (2022), Amy Satterthwaite (2016), Belinda Clark (1997).
Meanwhile, Mandhana’s ninth ODI century was laced with 14 fours and a six, as she is just six behind, equaling the record of most ODI tons, which is held by former Aussie skipper Meg Lanning (15).
Earlier, Australian middle-order batter Annabel Sutherland (110) struck a fine century as the hosts posted 298/6 against India.
Ashleigh Gardner (50) and skipper Tahlia McGrath (56 not out) were the other Australian batters who made vital contributions.
India’s Arundhati Reddy grabbed four wickets, conceding just 26 runs in her 10 overs.
‘We’ll go back and analyze the whole tour’: Harmanpreet Kaur
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur talked about the embarrassing 0-3 whitewash and said they would analyse what didn’t work out for them on the tour after returning to India.
“I think we bowled really well, especially Arundhati. Lots of learning for us from this tour, the way they bowled and batted. We will go back and analyze the whole tour and understand where we went wrong. Smriti’s knock was fantastic. We did well in patches but we didn’t continue our momentum, that’s what we need to work on,” Harmanpreet said after the match.
