Smriti Mandhana Breaks 26-Year-Old Record in Women's ODI Cricket

Cape Town: India’s star opener Smriti Mandhana etched her name into cricket history on Thursday, breaking a 26-year-old record for the most runs scored in a calendar year in women’s One-Day Internationals (ODIs). The milestone came during India’s match against South Africa in the ongoing Women’s World Cup.

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Record-Breaking 973 Runs

Mandhana added 23 runs off 33 balls against South Africa, including a four and a six, before being caught at long-on by Sune Luus. While her innings didn’t yield the big score fans had hoped for, the runs were enough to push her annual tally to 973 from 17 innings, surpassing Australia’s Belinda Clark, who had held the record with 970 runs in 1997. South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt ranks third, with 882 runs in 2022.

“This is a special moment for me,” Mandhana said in a post-match interview. “Records are nice, but contributing to the team’s performance is always my priority. I hope to keep building on this in the remaining matches.”

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A Stellar Year Amid World Cup Challenges

Mandhana has been in exceptional form leading up to the World Cup. Before the tournament, she had amassed 928 runs in 14 innings at an impressive average of 66.28 and a strike rate of 115.85. However, her World Cup campaign has been modest so far, scoring 54 runs in three innings at an average of 18.00 with a strike rate of 72.97.

Despite a slow start, she remains on track to achieve another historic landmark: becoming the first woman cricketer to score 1,000 runs in a single calendar year. With five more league matches to play, opportunities remain for her to reach this unprecedented milestone.

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Implications for Women’s Cricket

Mandhana’s achievement highlights the growing prominence of women’s cricket globally. Experts say milestones like this inspire young cricketers and underscore the increasing competitiveness and professionalism in the women’s game. “Smriti’s consistency over the year reflects her dedication and the evolution of women’s cricket in India,” noted former India captain Mithali Raj.