The atmosphere at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday night was electric, as Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur launched a breathtaking assault on the Australian bowlers. Their relentless scoring, averaging an astonishing 10 runs an over, immediately brought to mind a legendary One-Day International from nearly two decades ago.
That unforgettable match saw the Australian men post a mammoth 434 for four in Johannesburg, only for South Africa to pull off an unbelievable chase on the penultimate ball. Even after all these years, that record-breaking feat, still standing as the highest successful ODI chase (with the next best being 60 runs less), continues to captivate cricket fans worldwide.
A social media post from BCCI Women celebrated Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana’s record-breaking century and India’s hard-fought chase, highlighting the team’s spirit and determination to win, learn, and grow.
Given Smriti’s aggressive batting, it truly seemed as though the Indian women were on the verge of replicating that historic South African chase. While the hosts ultimately fell short by 43 runs, the dream was very much alive until both Harmanpreet and Smriti, India’s most celebrated batters, departed in quick succession. Even then, Deepti Sharma’s courageous effort kept a glimmer of hope alive in the Indian dugout.
Though India couldn’t quite reach the monumental target, this match will undoubtedly be etched in cricketing memory. It served as a powerful declaration of women’s cricket’s burgeoning strength, proving unequivocally that no score is truly safe, regardless of who is batting.
The rapid evolution of women’s cricket was strikingly evident, accelerating even further during this extraordinary contest.
Earlier in the day, Australia’s Beth Mooney had notched up the joint second-fastest ODI century in women’s cricket, matching Karen Rolton’s 2000 record. However, just a few thrilling hours later, Smriti Mandhana surpassed both, achieving her hundred seven balls quicker.
This incredible match also set a new benchmark for women’s ODI totals, with a staggering 781 runs scored collectively. This high-scoring affair in Delhi significantly dwarfed the previous record of 678 runs, set by England and South Africa in Bristol back in 2017.
With the Women’s World Cup just around the corner, set to commence in Guwahati in less than ten days, the International Cricket Council (ICC) couldn’t have wished for a more perfect build-up or a more exciting preview of what’s to come.
India’s resilient performance throughout the series, especially after a crushing defeat in the opening match at New Chandigarh against arguably the world’s premier team, signals a very promising future for women’s cricket.
Although India dominated the second game to force a thrilling decider, and consistently posted their highest-ever scores against Australia in each match, their quest for a bilateral series victory against the formidable Aussies continues. Nevertheless, this series has undoubtedly shown them the path to future triumphs.