Women’s World T20: Smriti Mandhana ecstatic after a thumping win over Australia

Mandhana scored 83 off 55 deliveries against Australia to guide India to a big 48-run win on Saturday.

Smriti Mandhana was in full flow against the Southern Stars on Saturday | Getty

Smriti Mandhana registered her career-best T20I score as Team India thrashed Australia by 48 runs in its last group match of the ongoing ICC Women’s World T20 at Providence Stadium, Guyana on Saturday (November 17).

Opting to bat first, the Women in Blue rode on Mandhana’s glorious 55-ball 83 (9 boundaries and 3 sixes) to post 167/8 on the board. In reply, the Southern Stars were bundled out for 119 in 19.4 overs with Anuja Patil claiming three wickets and Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav & Poonam Yadav picking up two scalps apiece.

Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony after receiving the Player-of-the-Match award, Mandhana said: "Quite relieved as I was getting starts but not converting them. Wanted to go out there and score big runs. Glad that I could do it today."

When Mandhana was on 62, she was given out by lbw off Sophie Molineux's bowling. While Smriti was unconvinced, her batting partner Veda Krishnamurthy insisted her to take the review and it turned out to be a brilliant one. Ball-tracking showed that the ball had pitched outside leg and the umpire had to overturn his verdict.

"Whenever the ball hits my pads, I always think it's out, don't know why (laughs) but she (Veda) told me to take the review. Thanks to her, we got 20-30 runs extra," she asserted.

Mandhana termed the victory as a special one given the bowling and fielding showing against the world No.1 side.

"The way we bowled and fielded today was probably the best we did all tournament. In that aspect, this win was special," she concluded.

India finished Group B on top and will take on the second ranked team of Group A in the semi-final.

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 18 Nov, 2018

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