Published: Jan 29, 2019, 03:38 PM (IST)
Edited: Jan 29, 2019, 03:38 PM (IST)
The India Women opener Smriti Mandhana is on a roll, extending her batting form into 2019 with two excellent innings against New Zealand Women the span of five days.
Mandhana began the year with a bang, scoring 105 in India’s crushing nine-wicket win in Napier last week and on Tuesday, she made 90 not out to secure an eight-wicket hammering that gave the touring team the series. (READ MORE: Mandhana second cricketer to score hundreds in SENA nations)
Since the start of 2018, no cricketer has scored more runs in women’s ODIs than Mandhana. In 14 innings since India’s first ODI last year, the 22-year-old has stacked up, in 14 innings, a tally of 864 runs at 78.54 with two hundreds and eight half-centuries. Of her last 10 ODI innings, just two have been less than 40.
The next best returns since the start of 2018 are New Zealander Sophie Devine’s 568 runs from nine ODIs.
Mandhana’s batting form has been directly proportionate to the Indian women’s team’s success. Since the start of 2018 they have won eight of 14 ODIs, the joint most successful alongside South Africa who have lost five matches. She ended 2018 with with 669 runs from 12 ODIs at an average of 66.9o courtesy one century and seven fifties and was the recipient of the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year award, the third Indian to be honoured so.
Also in 2018, Mandhana ended the Kia Super League as the highest run getter with 421 runs from 10 matches and then at the Women’s World T20 in November, she finished with 178 runs at 35.6 and a strike-rate of 125.35 which featured a career-best 83 versus eventual winners Australia.
Currently ranked fourth in the ICC Women’s ODI ratingg, Mandhana’s form puts her on track to make upwards progress when the next reshuffle of the rankings occurs.
