World Record alert! Smriti Mandhana becomes 1st cricketer to get 10 consecutive 50-plus scores

Lucknow, Mar 10: Scripting world record in cricket, Indian women’s team opener Smriti Mandhana on Tuesday her team to a win with her impressive half-century against South Africa but also became the first player to hit 50-plus scores in ten successive ODI chases.

 

 

With this scintillating knock, Mandhana became the first-ever cricketer to smash 10 consecutive 50-plus scores in One Day Internationals while chasing. She went past New Zealand's Suzie Bates who had nine successive 50-plus scores while chasing – a feat which she achieved between 2015 and 2017.

 

 

No other cricketer, either male or female, has scored more than six 50-plus scores in consecutive ODI matches while chasing. Besides, she slammed an unbeaten 80 off 64 balls in the second ODI as the Indian side registered a comprehensive 9-wicket win to level the five-match series at 1-1.

 

On the other hand, senior Indian pacer Jhulan Goswami returned with figures of 10-0-42-4 and she was supported by fellow seamer Mansi Joshi (2/23) and left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad (3/37) as India dismissed South Africa for a paltry 157 after opting to field.

 

Mandhana and Punam Raut (62 not out, 89 balls) then shared an unbeaten 138-run partnership for the second wicket with India overhauling the target in only 28.4 overs to bounce back from their eight-wicket loss in the first ODI. Mandhana’s innings was laced with 10 fours and three sixes while Raut dropped anchor at one end and also hit eight boundaries.

 

In the 20th over, Mandhana picked up successive fours to get to her fifty in style, while Raut crossed the 50-run mark with an innovative short behind the keeper. The Indian opener eventually scored the winning runs with successive fours in the 29th over.