Smriti Mandhana hits fifty in The Hundred 2023 opener, helps Southern Brave get the better of Harmanpreet Kaur's Trent Rockets

Smriti Mandhana starred in The Hundred Women's Competition 2023 opening game for Southern Brave with a match-winning half-century at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. Mandhana's 36-ball 55 helped Brave post a challenging total on the board which was out of the grasp of Trent Rockets. The Anya Shrubsole-led side won the match comprehensively by 27 runs.
 

Trent Rockets skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt won the toss and opted to field first. Mandana and Danielle Wyatt got Brave off to a good start. The first six of the league was hit off the 21st ball of the innings. Bryony Smith broke the partnership off the 42nd ball of the innings. Wyatt contributed with a run-a-ball 27 in the 65-run opening partnership.
 

Mandhana continued to attack and got to her half-century. From the other end, Maia Bouchier contributed with an 18-ball 31 cameo. Mandhana enjoyed the English conditions. The southpaw lost her wicket to Bryony. She scored 55 runs from 36 balls including six fours and two sixes. Freya Kemp and Georgia Adams could not make an impact in the slog overs. South Africa's big hitter Chloe Tryon's 10-ball 23 helped Brave post 157/6.

In the run chase, Bryony got run out without facing a single delivery. Mary Taylor got rid of Lizelle Lee and Naomi Dattani early in the run chase as the Rockets failed to take off and lost three wickets for 21 runs. Harmanpreet Kaur tried to push the run rate. She lost her wickets to Adams. The Indian captain contributed with a 17-ball 22.
 

Nat anchored the run chase but wickets kept falling from the other end. She got out caught and bowled for 31-ball 49 including seven fours and one six. Rockets managed to post 130/7 and lost the game by 27 runs. 18-year-old pacer Mary Taylor turned out to be the pick of the bowlers with three wickets for 18 runs. 
 

Mandhana has been a top performer for Brave. In the previous season, she was their top-scorer with 211 runs from eight games at an average of 30.14 including one half-century. She was the fifth-highest run-scorer of the previous edition. 
 

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