Smriti Mandhana sets a new record during England’s ODI series, crosses 3000 runs
Smriti Mandhana, the batting star of the Indian women’s cricket team, has added another feather to her crown. While batting in the second ODI against England on Wednesday, the brilliant left-handed opening batter became the third Indian woman to surpass 3000 runs in ODI cricket.
Mandhana, who scored 91 in the first game of the series, followed in the footsteps of Mithali Raj and current India captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
3⃣0⃣0⃣0⃣ ODI runs & counting! 👏 👏
Another landmark for @mandhana_smriti! 👍 👍
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/dmQVpiNH4h #TeamIndia | #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/c5tQfqwTBu
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) September 21, 2022
She accomplished the milestone in her 76th innings, being the fastest Indian to do so, easily smashing Mithali’s previous record of 88 innings.
Mandhana is currently ranked third overall, after two Australian legends, Belinda Clark (62) and Meg Lanning (64).
Mandhana was named one of five new ICC 100% Cricket Superstars last month. She was named with Pakistan’s Fatima Sana, Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner, England’s Sophia Dunkley, and Ireland’s Gaby Lewis.
Mandhana, the newly-announced 100% Cricket Superstar, became the quickest India women’s player to the milestone, and the third quickest Indian behind Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli. While Dhawan took 72 innings to reach 3000 ODI runs, Kohli took 75 innings. Mandhana took one more innings than Kohli, hitting the milestone in her 76th.
The left-handed opener made her ODI debut in 2013. She has five hundreds and 24 fifties in the format. She is the third India women’s player to reach 3,000 runs in the format, after Mithali Raj and Harmanpreet Kaur.
Her opening pairing with the talented Shafali Verma has frequently powered India to victory.
Mandhana was a key member of the squad that placed second in the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup, second in the 2020 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, and won silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
The current series between India and England is India’s second in the ICC Women’s Championship cycle. The competition determines qualifying for the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup.
Mandhana began the series with a commanding 91 from 99 balls in Hove, guiding India to a seven-wicket victory on Sunday. She got off to a good start in the second ODI as well, scoring 40 from 51 balls before being caught in front by Sophie Ecclestone.
