Did Smriti Mandhana Just Achieve the Second Fastest ODI Century by an Indian Batter?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Smriti Mandhana scored 117 runs off 91 balls.
- She reached her century in 77 balls, the second fastest by an Indian woman.
- Her innings included 14 fours and 4 sixes.
- She is now tied with Tammy Beaumont for the all-time ODI hundreds list.
- Her performance is a reflection of the increasing standards in women's cricket.
New Chandigarh, Sep 17 (NationPress) Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana achieved a remarkable feat by scoring the second-fastest century by an Indian batter in women’s ODIs, reaching the three-figure mark in just 77 balls against Australia during the second match of the ongoing series at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
The left-handed opener hit her 12th ODI hundred with a stunning six over mid-off against Tahlia McGrath, now trailing only her own record of the fastest century by an Indian woman—which was accomplished in 70 balls against Ireland earlier this year in Rajkot.
Ultimately, Smriti scored 117 off 91 balls, showcasing her power with 14 fours and four sixes at an impressive strike-rate of 128.57. She now shares the all-time ODI hundreds list with England's Tammy Beaumont, with only Suzie Bates of New Zealand (13) and former Australian captain Meg Lanning (15) ahead of her. Additionally, she has matched Suzie for the record of most centuries by an opener (12).
Sent in to bat first by Australia, the graceful Smriti was in superb form from the outset, reaching her century in just her 106th innings as an opener since debuting in 2013.
A notable aspect of her innings was the significant scoring on the leg-side, contrasting with her usual off-side play. Smriti's century also stands as the fastest by a batter against Australia in women’s ODIs, surpassing the previous record held by England's Nat Sciver-Brunt, who achieved the milestone in 79 balls.
This remarkable innings adds to the increasing list of rapid centuries by Indian batters in recent years, including Harmanpreet Kaur's 82-ball hundred against England earlier this year and Jemimah Rodrigues' 89-ball ton against South Africa last year.
With Jemimah out for the remainder of the series due to viral fever, the responsibility fell on Smriti to lead India’s batting efforts. Although she was dismissed by Tahlia in the 33rd over, she set a strong foundation for the hosts to aim for a total of around 300.