India opening batter has hit the fastest ODI hundred for the Asian side in the ongoing third ODI against Ireland. Looking to end the series with a 3-0 finish, the home team won the toss and elected to bat first. The opening pair of Mandhana and Pratika Rawal put together 233 runs in just 26.3 overs. The former managed to hit a hundred in just 70 balls.
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Notably, the left-hander had some luck going her way as she was dropped on 12 by the Irish keeper Christina Coulter Reilly. The RCB captain in the Women’s Premier League made the most of the second chance and went on to score 135 off just 80 balls including 12 fours and seven sixes. Her 70-ball hundred is the fastest hundred for India.
Before Mandhana, India’s regular skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who is rested for the series, held the record of fastest 100 (89 balls) for the Women in Blue. Meanwhile, Mandhana’s knock helped India get a great start as they maintained a run rate between eight and nine runs per over. Her opening partner, Pratika Rawal hit her maiden hundred as she ended up hitting 154 off 129 balls including 20 fours and a six.
The duo’s hundred helped India pile up 435/5 at the end of their innings. This is the first time India Women have scored more than 400 runs in an ODI game. Their previous highest was 370 which they scored this weekend. Apart from Mandhana and Rawal, Richa Ghosh (59) chipped in with some useful runs. At the time of writing, Ireland were 30/2 in 4.5 overs.
Smriti Mandhana is the stand-in India captain for the Ireland series
The Women’s Premier League 2024 winning captain was appointed as the skipper for her national side for the ongoing series. Regular skipper Harmanpreet Kaur is rested for the series as a part of her workload management. She had an injury during the white-ball series against the West Indies at home. The right-hander missed the T20I series against the Caribbean side.
Alongside Kaur, fast bowler Renuka Thakur was also asked to report to the NCA although she hasn’t any injury yet. The ongoing series against Ireland is India’s last series for the ongoing Women’s World Cup qualifier. The Women In Blue have already qualified on the virtue of being the host of the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup.
