Smriti Mandhana has maintained her stellar recent form, with another game-winning performance in the opening ODI of her team’s three-match series against England. She scored 91 in 99 balls which helped her team win the match and million fans.
Mandhana was just recently named one of five new ICC 100% Cricket Superstars, and based on her recent batting efforts, it appears that the talented 26-year-old has been inspired by that news.
Smriti Mandhana strikes 91 in 99 deliveries
In the most recent three-game T20I series, Mandhana led India in runs scored. The left-hander followed it up with another Player of the Match performance in the ODI series opener in Hove.
Smriti Mandhana’s magnificent innings consisted of a total of 10 fours and one massive six and gave us a glimpse as to why she was one on the latest list of ICC 100% Cricket Superstars unveiled in August.
Smriti Mandhana made the list along with Pakistan’s Fatima Sana, Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner, Sophia Dunkley of England, and Ireland’s Gaby Lewis.
Mandhana, who helped India women defeat England women in the opening one-day international, said the visitors are attempting to bid legend of the fast bowling Jhulan Goswami, who is retiring from international cricket after a 20-year stellar career, a proper farewell.
At the conclusion of the current three-match ODI series, Goswami, 39, will retire from the sport. She has participated in 12 Tests (taking 44 wickets), 202 ODIs (taking 253 wickets), and 68 T20Is (56 wickets).
“I want to say that this series is for Jhulu di (Jhulan Goswani), her bowling was amazing. All our efforts in this series will be for Jhulu di,” Mandhana, who hit 91 off 99 balls, said after India’s seven-wicket win on Sunday night.
“ODIs are natural for me, T20s I have to put effort to take care of the strike rate. In ODIs I can just react. But I’m happy to lay the platform.” She said she would have been happier had she remained unbeaten.
