Indian vice-captain and batter Smriti Mandhana made history on Sunday, becoming a woman player with the most runs in a three-match bilateral ODI series. Mandhana accomplished this feat during India’s third ODI against South Africa at Bengaluru. During the game, Mandhana scored 90 in 83 balls, with 11 fours. Her runs came at a strike rate of 108.43. In the previous two ODIs, Mandhana scored 117 in 127 balls, with 12 fours and a six in the first game, and 136 in 120 balls, with 18 fours and two sixes during the second ODI.
Now in three matches, Mandhana ended with 343 runs, at an average of 114.33 and a strike rate of above 103. She scored two centuries and a fifty. Mandhana also secured the ‘Player of the Series’ award as India white-washed South Africa by 3-0.
The most runs in a bilateral ODI series by a women’s player are by former Australian player Karen Rolton, who scored 394 runs in six ODIs against New Zealand back in 2004 at an average of 197.00, with a century and three fifties. Her best score was 102*.
Coming to the third ODI between India and South Africa, SA won the toss and elected to bat first. The skipper Laura Woolvadrt (61 in 57 balls, with seven fours) and Tazmin Brits (38 in 26 balls, with two fours and a six) put on an 102-run opening stand, but Indian bowlers fought back to wrap up their innings for 215 runs in 50 overs, at the loss of eight wickets.
Deepti Sharma (2/27) and Arundhati Reddy (2/36) were among the top bowlers for India. Shreyanka Patil and Pooja Vastrakar also got a wicket each.
In the run-chase, Smriti (90) held one end steady, with Shafali Varma (25 in 39 balls, with four boundaries), Priya Punia (28 in 40 balls, with two fours and a six) and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (42 in 48 balls, with two fours) playing crucial knocks and laying down the platform for Jemimah Rodrigues (19*) and Richa Ghosh (6*) to finish with six wickets and 56 balls left.
Deepti took home the ‘Player of the Match’.
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