New Delhi: India’s top cricketer Smriti Mandhana, who made her international debut at the age of 16 against Bangladesh in 2013, celebrates her 27th birthday on Tuesday as the vice-captain is preparing for the second ODI against Bangladesh to be played on Wednesday shows her commitment and love towards cricket.
The elegant opener has not taken her foot off the gas since then and has represented India in 4 Tests, 78 ODIs, and 119 T20Is. She took centerstage after demonstrating her batting skills in the 2017 ICC World Cup. The teenager was instrumental in taking India to the World Cup finals, where they were defeated by England by 9 runs. Mandhana is now a senior member of the squad and has established herself as a pillar of the Indian women's cricket team.
As the star opener Mandhana celebrates her 27th birthday, here is a look at her records and achievements. Mandhana became the third-quickest Indian to score 1000 runs in T20Is. She was also the tenth-fastest batter in women's cricket history to achieve this feat. The Mumbai batter took just 49 innings to break the 1000-run mark. In February 2019, the Mumbai batter set the record for the fastest T20I fifty by an Indian player. Mandhana achieved her half-century against New Zealand in just 24 balls.
__Third most #ODI runs for India (3084)_
__ Second most #T20I runs for India (2854)_
__Fastest fifty by Indian women's batter in #WT20Is (23)_
__Second most fifties in WT20Is (22)_Here's wishing a very happy birthday to the talented young Indian opener, #SmritiMandhana!_ pic.twitter.com/IKnikcdb15
— CricTelegraph (@CricTelegraph) July 18, 2023
Mandhana became the first player in ODI history to score ten consecutive fifty or more while chasing. Her remarkable run began in 2018 when she batted second and hit 67 runs off 53 deliveries against Australia Woman.
The opener was named the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year in 2018 and 2021. Mandhana also got a half-century on her Test debut in India’s historic Test victory over England.
In 2021, again in a Test match against England Mandhana along with her opening partner Shafali Verma put up a partnership of 167 which is the fourth-highest in the history of women’s Test cricket. She and Australia’s Ellyse Perry are the only players to have won the ‘Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Award’ twice. Mandhana was also named the ICC’s ODI Player of the Year in 2018 after amassing the highest points in the calendar year.
The star Indian batter was the most expensive buy at the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2022 auction last year. Mandhana was bought for Rs 3.4 crore by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), the most expensive player at the auction.
