Smriti Mandhana made history with a stunning 91-run performance in the first ODI against the West Indies Women at Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara. The left-handed opener, who has been in red hot form with the bat this year, surpassed South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt to become the player with the most international runs in a calendar year in women’s cricket.
Mandhana’s innings brought her 2024 ODI total to 1,602 runs, just ahead of Wolvaardt’s 1,593. Although she fell short of a century, her knock was another highlight in a remarkable season, where she has already scored five centuries and ten half-centuries. With two more ODIs left in the series, she has a chance to add to her record.
Woman cricketers with most runs in a calendar year –
1. Smriti Mandhana (2024) – 1602
2. Laura Wolvaardt (2024) 1593
3. Nat Sciver-Brunt (2022) 1346
4. Smriti Mandhana (2018) 1291
5. Smriti Mandhana(2022) 1290
Mandhana, Renuka Guide India Women to comfortable victory
Opener Smriti Mandhana extended her purple patch with a classy knock before pacer Renuka Thakur excelled with the new ball as India outplayed a self-destructing West Indies by a record 211 runs in the first Women’s ODI here Sunday.
Mandhana made a fine 91 off 102 balls, while the likes of Harmanpreet Kaur (34 off 23), Harleen Deol (44 off 50), Richa Ghosh (26 off 12) and Jemimah Rodrigues (31 off 19) helped India posted 314 for loss of nine wickets. For the West Indies, the pick of the bowlers was left-arm spinner Zaida James, who took five wickets for 45 runs in eight overs.
West Indies crumble under pressure while chasing such big total. The visitors lost wickets at regular intervals with Renuka SIngh picking up a fifier for just 29 runs. Priya Mishra with 2 wickets and Deepti Sharma picked dup 1 wicket.
