Smriti Mandhana Shines in India's Victory Against Sri Lanka in T20 Series
Mandhana's Stellar Performance
On Sunday, Smriti Mandhana delivered an outstanding performance for the Indian team against Sri Lanka. In the fourth match of the ongoing five-match T20 series, the left-handed opener from Sangli scored 80 runs off 48 balls at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, leading the team under Harmanpreet Kaur's captaincy. During her innings, the 29-year-old hit 11 fours and 3 sixes, forming a remarkable partnership of 162 runs for the first wicket with Shefali Verma, who scored 79 runs off 46 balls, including 12 fours and 1 six.
Historic Achievement
Mandhana's impressive innings earned her the Player of the Match award, and she made history by becoming the first player to score over 1700 runs in a calendar year in women's cricket. Previously, she held the record for the most runs scored in a calendar year, having amassed 1659 runs in 35 matches across all formats last year. So far in the current calendar year, she has scored 1703 runs in 32 matches.
Record-Breaking Partnership
The Indian women's team set a new record for their highest team score in T20 cricket. Mandhana and Shefali's aggressive batting led to a record-breaking partnership of 162 runs, surpassing the previous best of 143 runs against the West Indies in 2019. Their strong start kept Sri Lanka under constant pressure.
Team's Dominance
Mandhana's 80 runs included eleven fours and three sixes, while Verma contributed 79 runs with twelve fours and one six. This performance not only highlighted India's growing batting depth but also reaffirmed the reputation of Mandhana and Shefali as one of the strongest opening pairs in women's T20 international cricket.
Victory Secured
Expressing her joy at contributing with the bat, Mandhana discussed her 162-run opening partnership with Shefali in the fourth T20 international against Sri Lanka. The Indian team successfully defended a massive target of 222 runs, winning by 30 runs and extending their unbeaten lead in the series to 4-0 with one match remaining.