Indian women’s cricket team opener Smriti Mandhana became the first Indian woman to score a century in a pink-ball Test on Friday when she played a 127-run knock against Australia in the one-off Pink Ball Test. This is the also first century by an Indian woman on Australian soil.
1⃣2⃣7⃣ Runs
2⃣1⃣6⃣ Balls
2⃣2⃣ Fours
1⃣ Six@mandhana_smriti gets out after playing a superb knock. 👏 👏 #TeamIndia #AUSvINDFollow the match 👉 https://t.co/seh1NVa8gu pic.twitter.com/MqhNkgSxWZ
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) October 1, 2021
The southpaw, who was 80 not out overnight, maintained her composure to reach the landmark on Day Two in Carrara, Queensland. She took 171 balls to cross the triple-digit mark and got out for 127 runs. Much of the opening day’s play was washed out due to rain and Mandhana had survived when she was caught off a no-ball in the 46th over of the innings.
What a moment for Smriti Mandhana – her maiden Test ton! #AUSvIND #PinkBallTest pic.twitter.com/PTHOTxYSv1
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 1, 2021
The Maharashtra cricketer headlined the opening day with a career-best 80 not out which had elegance written all over it as the Indian women’s cricket team finished on 132 for 1.
#TeamIndia Women’s highest individual score in Australia:
Tests 🏏 Smriti Mandhana (127)
ODIs 🏏 Smriti Mandhana (102)
T20Is 🏏 Smriti Mandhana (66)#PinkBallTest | #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/7klPfxBdcn— Doordarshan Sports (@ddsportschannel) October 1, 2021
Mandhana, who peppered the off-side field repeatedly with some gorgeous shots to reach 80 off 144 balls with 15 boundaries and a six, added 93 for the opening stand with Shafali Verma (31 off 64 balls), who played the second fiddle during their partnership.
Most of the second session’s play was washed out but Mandhana added another 16 runs to surpass her previous best of 78.
