Smriti Mandhana was at her best against the Delhi Capitals (DC) Women at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara. The captain of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Women took the crease with 142 runs required. The target wasn’t too high, but still, a good job needed to be done. Mandhana came out intending to finish the match before the end of the powerplay.
Smriti Mandhana smashes everyone alike
In the first over itself, the opener smashed two boundaries. She didn’t stop there. In the third over, she did the same. The only difference was the bowler. It was Marizanne Kapp the first time and Minnu Mani the next time. The fireworks didn’t stop. Be it Arundhati Reddy, Jess Jonassen, or Annabel Sutherland, whoever came on, Mandhana thrashed them to the boundary.
Before the eighth over ended, RCB had scored more than 50% of the runs required (77 or 142). By the ninth over, Mandhana had scored his fifty. That too, in just 27 balls. It was her fastest fifty. In her last five innings, including this one, Mandhana has scored four fifties.
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She didn’t stop there, of course. The thrashing continued. Given the target was just 142 and her opening partner Danielle Wyatt-Hodge had also scored 42 runs, Mandhana couldn’t get to her maiden Women’s Premier League (WPL) hundred. In a bid to end the match early, the southpaw got caught, but it was a sight to behold to watch her bat.
iMandhana’s 81-run knock came from just 47 balls and was consistent with 13 boundaries (10 fours and 3 sixes). Given that RCB are the reigning WPL champions, they’ll be ecstatic that their captain is in such form.
