Smriti Mandhana shatters 28-year-old record, carves her name in history

Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], October 9 (ANI): India's vice-captain Smriti Mandhana eclipsed former Australia skipper Belinda Clark and shattered the 28-year-old record for most runs in a calendar year in Women's ODIs.
During India's third match of the ongoing Women's World Cup against South Africa in Visakhapatnam on Friday, the stylish opener conjured 23(32) to go past Clark's record. She broke the shackles on the first ball of the eighth over by stepping out of the crease to dispatch Ayabonga Khaka's full-length delivery past the boundary rope for a towering maximum and carved her name in history.
Mandhana now sits at the summit with 982 runs in 17 matches at 57.76 while striking at 112.22, laced with four centuries and three fifties. Clark remained at the pinnacle for a staggering 28 years after garnering 970 runs in 16 matches at 80.83 in 1997.
Moments after the powerplay ended, Mandhana's exploits came to a bitter end, and she perished on Nonkululeko Mlaba's second delivery of the match in the 11th over. She tried to loft the ball with the spin, but failed to generate enough power and holed it out to Sune Luus.
Despite making history, the 29-year-old's form at the ongoing showpiece event on home turf is turning out to be a cause of concern for India. In three appearances, Mandhana has managed just 54 runs at an underwhelming average of 18.00. During the buildup of the marquee event, the flamboyant southpaw was in a league of her own.
In the third ODI against Australia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Mandhana cantered to a century in 50 deliveries to set a new record for the fastest hundred by an Indian in the 50-over format during the final fixture of the three-match series.
During India's pursuit of the 413-run target, Mandhana engineered a batting masterclass and bettered Mooney's feat after storming to the landmark moment in 50 deliveries. The rollicking display is the fastest by an Indian and, overall, the second-fastest after Australia opener Meg Lanning, who holds the top spot with a 45-ball ton against New Zealand in 2012.
The sizzling performance was Mandhana's fourth ton in the ongoing calendar year, and this is the second time she has orchestrated it after her exploits last year. Mandhana has 13 ODI centuries, the joint second-highest alongside New Zealand's Suzie Bates and two shy of Lanning's tally of 15.
In the second ODI, she clobbered 117 in 91 deliveries, which laid the platform for India's imposing 102-run win. It is the second time she has thwacked back-to-back centuries, with the first instance occurring in 2024. She is the first Indian to achieve the feat twice. (ANI)