Smriti Mandhana delivered a breathtaking performance in the second ODI against Australia Women, lighting up the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur with her 12th century in the format.
The stylish opener reached the three-figure mark in only 77 deliveries, registering the second-fastest hundred by an Indian woman in ODIs. Interestingly, she already owns the top spot on that list with her 70-ball ton against Ireland earlier this year.
The knock was special not just for its pace but also for the records it shattered. Mandhana went past Deepti Sharma's tally of 787 runs in 2017 to set a new benchmark for the most runs scored by an Indian woman in a calendar year. Her authority at the crease was clear from the start
as she reached her half-century in just 45 balls, launching a towering six off Georgia Wareham in the 16th over. A crisp boundary against Tahlia McGrath in the 29th over brought up her landmark hundred, cementing yet another chapter in her illustrious career.
Currently ranked the world's No. 1 ODI batter, Mandhana continues to justify that position with consistency and flair. With this century, she has equalled Tammy Beaumont's tally of 12 hundreds, joining the English batter at third place on the all-time list in women's ODIs. Ahead of her remains former Australian captain Meg Lanning, who retired in 2023 with 15 centuries, still the highest in the format.
Mandhana's achievement also carried regional significance. She has now scored more ODI centuries against Australia than any other Asian woman, establishing herself as a dominant force in one of cricket's fiercest rivalries. In the overall charts, she stands level with New Zealand veteran Suzie Bates, while England's Nat Sciver-Brunt leads the way with over 1,100 runs against Australia, including four hundreds and four fifties.
Apart from Mandhana, only Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu features on the exclusive list of Asian batters with multiple centuries against the Aussies. By joining an elite club of just eight women to have scored more than one ODI ton against Australia, Mandhana has further reinforced her reputation as one of the modern greats of women's cricket.
