Smriti Mandhana Breaks Virat Kohli's All-Time ODI Record With Fiery Century vs Australia

Indian women's cricket team opener Smriti Mandhana was on top of her game during the third and deciding ODI against Australia women at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi on Saturday. The southpaw broke an all-time record of Indian men's cricket team star batter Virat Kohli. Mandhana became the fastest Indian to score an ODI century, breaking the record of Kohli. Interestingly, Kohli too had achieved the feat previously against Australia. He had smashed a 52-ball hundred in Jaipur in October 2013. Mandhana surpassed Kohli with a 50-ball century on Saturday.

Mandhana, who was already the Indian woman to score fastest century in the format, has bettered her previous record of 70 balls. Overall, Meg Lanning is the fastest woman player to score an ODI century by achieving the feat in 45 balls. She had scored the ton against New Zealand in Sydney in 2012. Mandhana follows her at the second spot.

The Indian opener scored 125 off 63 balls with the help of 17 fours and five sixes, albeit in a losing cause.

In the chase of 413, India women were bundled out for 369, losing the ODI series decider by 43 runs.

Mandhana, who is the vice-captain of Team India, said the series was more about testing combinations and weaknesses of her side ahead of the upcoming World Cup than the result itself.

"This series for us was about getting a lot of right combinations and things. Australia is a great opposition to test ourselves in terms of where we are lacking," Mandhana said at the post-match conference.

"So I wouldn't say that we will think of this series as a confidence booster or something which didn't really work, that the confidence will go low. But it was a good series in terms of understanding our strengths and understanding where we are lacking." Fielding, however, remained a glaring concern. After displaying sharp work in England earlier this year, India were sloppy against Australia, dropping over 12 catches across three games. Mandhana admitted the inconsistency.

"I mean for sure there is a lot of difference in the fielding. Fielding part is one thing which I mean as a team we are on a rise but we also feel that some days there are days where we look like a different fielding side than the others.

"We need to find the consistency in the team in terms of fielding as a unit together and not individual brilliance, so that's one thing which we thought that we have to address before the World Cup," she added.

Topics mentioned in this article

Cricket India Women Australia Women India Cricket Team Virat Kohli Smriti Mandhana India Women vs Australia Women, 3rd ODI