Cricket

The Hundred Womens 2023

In what can only be described as a fitting farewell, Anya Shrubsole, captaining the Southern Brave, clinched their inaugural title in The Hundred Women's 2023 at Lord's on Sunday, August 27. Facing Northern Superchargers, the Brave showcased their prowess in front of an impressive 21,636 spectators, marking a record turnout for the event.&nbsp;The initial stages of the match were tense for the Brave. Having lost their previous two finals against the Oval Invincibles, their batting lineup seemed shaky yet again, finding themselves at a precarious 8 for 2 after just nine deliveries. However, with stellar performances from Danni Wyatt, who scored a brisk 59 off 38, and Freya Kemp's crucial 31 off 17, the Brave managed to set a competitive target of 140.&nbsp;The Southern Brave's defense was robust. Lauren Bell, displaying remarkable form, claimed two critical wickets early on, including that of the Superchargers' top scorer, Phoebe Litchfield. Rhianna Southby, Brave's young wicketkeeper, showcased her skills by effecting three stumpings, finishing the tournament with a commendable 11 dismissals.&nbsp;Despite Jemimah Rodrigues' valiant attempt to stabilize the Superchargers' innings, they fell short. Rodrigues, who scored 24, was unfortunately deprived of facing enough deliveries. With both Bell and Kalea Moore snaring three wickets each, the Brave's victory was sealed when a mix-up led to Grace Ballinger's run out.&nbsp;While Shrubsole was set to bowl the concluding deliveries, the match wrapped up with six balls remaining, marking the end of a glorious career for the Brave captain. After retiring from international cricket post the World Cup, Shrubsole's dedication to the Brave and her impending retirement became a rallying cry for the team throughout the season.&nbsp;A visibly emotional Shrubsole mentioned post-match, " "We feel like we've played some brilliant cricket. Coming into this we'd won 20 out of 25 games which is an unbelievable record. Not to have won the trophy was tough to take so it felt like this was just deserts."&nbsp;The victory also highlighted coach Charlotte Edwards' impressive run, achieving her third short-form trophy this year. With this win, Southern Brave, undoubtedly the most consistent team across the three Hundred seasons, finally has a well-deserved trophy to their name.&nbsp;MORE ON SPORTS TAK:<a href="https://m.thesportstak.com/soccer-news/epl-2023-rodri-last-gasp-stunner-helps-manchester-city-edge-sheffield-united-as-cityzens-go-top-of-the-table">EPL 2023: Rodri's last gasp stunner helps Manchester City edge Sheffield United as Cityzens go top of the table</a> <a href="https://m.thesportstak.com/soccer-news/suspended-luis-rubiales-damaging-image-of-spanish-football-andres-iniesta">'Suspended Luis Rubiales 'Damaging Image' Of spanish football': Barcelona legend cracks whip at sidelines RFEF president</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

In what can only be described as a fitting farewell, Anya Shrubsole, captaining the Southern Brave, clinched their inaugural title in The Hundred Women's 2023 at Lord's on Sunday, August 27.

the-hundred-womens-1-aug-2023

Smriti Mandhana's Southern Brave lift maiden The Hundred Women's 2023 title in Shrubsole's perfect farewell, thrash Superchargers by 34 runs

Former South Africa pacer Shabnim Ismail showed why she has been nicknamed ‘demon’. The death overs speciallist handed Welsh Fire an unexpected in The Hundred’s women’s competition on August 10 against Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston.&nbsp; &nbsp;The hosts needed just four runs to win from the last three balls with nine wickets in hand. Opener Tess Flintoff and Amy Jones were in the middle and it looked like Birmingham will finish it off easily. But, Ismail made a tremendous comeback and took a hat-trick to stun the Birmingham crowd.<div class="raw-html-embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Shabnim Ismail's hat-trick in all its glory 😍⏯<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheHundred?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheHundred</a> <a href="https://t.co/tDTpa2uSMw">pic.twitter.com/tDTpa2uSMw</a>— The Hundred (@thehundred) <a href="https://twitter.com/thehundred/status/1689686996875112448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Ismail was expensive earlier in the innings conceding 26 runs from 15 balls. Nine runs were needed off the last five balls. Jones took a single. Flintoff hit a boundary towards deep extra cover. Next ball, Ismail bowled a full-pitched delivery. Flintoff played across and got bowled. She scored 55 runs from 45 balls including six fours.&nbsp; &nbsp;New batter Erin Burns made room for herself but found a thick outside edge that carried to short third man fielder Claire Nicholas. On the last ball, four runs were needed. Issy Wong succumbed to the pressure as well. Wong tried to make room for herself to hit it square off the wicket but missed the ball and got bowled.&nbsp; &nbsp;Ismail with her raw pace managed to steal a win from the jaws of defeat. Meanwhile, Jones remained stranded on one end. She contributed with a 34-ball 48 that ended in a losing cause. &nbsp;Earlier, Birmingham skipper Evelyn Jones won the toss and opted to field first. Welsh skipper Tammy Beaumont and Hayley Matthews got the side off to a good start with a 72-run partnership. Hannah Baker got the breakthrough as Matthews fell after a run-a-ball 23. Beaumont completed her half-century but she could not last till the end. Flintoff got ther wicket. The opener scored 59 runs from 40 balls including nine fours and one six. &nbsp;Sophia Dunkley looked to score quickly and contributed with a 19-ball 25. Once again, Baker got the wicket. Laura Arlott and Katie Levkick struck twice as Welsh Fire failed to post a big total. They posted 137/7. &nbsp;MORE ON SPORTS TAK:&nbsp;<a href="https://production-admin.thesportstak.com/news/The%20riddle%20of%20no.4%20spot%20in%20ODIs%20for%20the%20Indian%20side%20is%20yet%20to%20be%20solved.%20Over%20the%20years,%20several%20players%20have%20been%20tested%20at%20this%20spot.%20While%20many%20failed,%20few%20showed%20promise%20but%20a%20couple%20of%20injuries%20have%20left%20Team%20India%20looking%20for%20a%20batter%20to%20play%20the%20important%20role%20less%20than%20a%20couple%20of%20months%20later.%20India's%20ODI%20skipper%20Rohit%20SHarma%20has%20admitted%20that%20it%20has%20been%20an%20issue%20and%20said%20that%20no%20batter%20has%20solidified%20his%20spot%20since%20the%20legendary%20all-rounder%20Yuvraj%20Singh's%20retirement.%20%E2%80%9CLook,%20No.%204%20has%20been%20an%20issue%20for%20us%20for%20a%20long%20time.%20After%20Yuvi%20(Yuvraj%20Singh),%20nobody%20has%20come%20and%20settled%20themselves%20in.%20%E2%80%9CBut,%20for%20a%20long%20period%20of%20time,%20Shreyas%20(Iyer)%20has%20actually%20batted%20at%20No.%204%20and%20he%20has%20done%20well%20%E2%80%94%20his%20numbers%20are%20really%20good,%E2%80%9D%20Rohit%20told%20reporters%20on%20the%20sidelines%20of%20a%20La%20Liga%20event%20here.%20%E2%80%9CUnfortunately,%20injuries%20have%20given%20him%20a%20bit%20of%20trouble;%20he%20has%20been%20out%20for%20a%20while%20and%20that%20is%20honestly%20what%20has%20happened%20in%20the%20last%204-5%20years.%20A%20lot%20of%20these%20guys%20have%20got%20injured%20and%20you%20will%20always%20see%20a%20new%20guy%20coming%20and%20playing%20there,%E2%80%9D%20he%20said.%20Shreyas%20Iyer%20has%20been%20the%20top%20performer%20for%20India%20at%20no.4%20scoring%20805%20runs%20at%20an%20average%20of%2047.35%20including%20two%20centuries%20and%20five%20half-centuries.%20He%20is%20likely%20to%20make%20a%20comeback%20soon%20after%20recovering%20from%20back%20injury%20that%20kept%20him%20out%20of%20action%20for%20months.%20%20%E2%80%9CThe%20percentage%20of%20injuries%20that%20have%20happened%20in%20the%20last%204-5%20years,%20it%20is%20massive.%20When%20the%20players%20get%20injured%20or%20are%20not%20available,%20you%20try%20doing%20different%20things%20with%20different%20players%20%E2%80%94%20that%20is%20what%20I%20have%20to%20say%20about%20No.%204,%E2%80%9D%20he%20said.%20%E2%80%9CEven%20before,%20when%20I%20was%20not%20the%20captain,%20I%20was%20watching%20no?%20There%20were%20so%20many%20guys%20who%20came%20in%20and%20went%20out.%20But%20injuries%20kept%20them%20away%20or%20they%20were%20not%20available%20or%20someone%20lost%20form,%E2%80%9D%20Rohit%20added.%20Along%20with%20Iyer,%20KL%20Rahul%20is%20expected%20to%20make%20a%20comeback%20as%20well.%20With%20Asia%20Cup%20squad%20announcement%20just%20around%20the%20corner,%20Rohit%20has%20said%20that%20nobody%20is%20guaranteed%20an%20automatic%20spot.%20%E2%80%9CNo%20one%20is%20an%20automatic%20(selection),%20even%20I%20am%20not.%20We%20have%20this%20thing%20where%20nobody%20is%20guaranteed%20a%20spot.%20We%20cannot%20say%20that%20%E2%80%98you%20are%20there%20after%20all%E2%80%99%20or%20things%20like%20that,%E2%80%9D%20the%2036-year-old%20said.%20%E2%80%9CThe%20selection%20(meeting)%20will%20be%20there%20in%20a%20few%20days,%20we%20will%20have%20a%20good%20debate%20about%20what%20we%20can%20do.%20But%20honestly%20nobody%20is%20an%20automatic%20choice%20%E2%80%93%20they%20all%20have%20to%20fight%20for%20the%20spot%20%E2%80%93%20everyone%20has%20to,%20whether%20it%20is%20a%20top%20spot%20or%20a%20bottom%20spot.%E2%80%9D%20Ahead%20of%20World%20Cup%202023,%20Rohit%20is%20not%20afraid%20to%20experiment%20by%20putting%20few%20players%20in%20pressure%20situations%20in%20order%20to%20test%20them.%20%E2%80%9CWe%20will%20see,%20we%20want%20to%20win%20but%20at%20the%20same%20time%20there%20are%20a%20lot%20of%20questions%20that%20we%20need%20answers%20of.%20But%20in%20the%20Asia%20Cup,%20I%20want%20to%20see%20some%20of%20the%20guys%20batting%20under%20pressure%20against%20quality%20teams,%E2%80%9D%20he%20said.%20%20%E2%80%9CI%20still%20want%20to%20see%20those%20things,%20so%20we%20will%20wait%20and%20see%20what%20happens,%20but%20it%20is%20always%20nice%20to%20have%20a%20lot%20of%20names,%20rather%20than%20just%20one%20or%20two%20names.%20I%20hope%20they%20are%20fit%20in%20time%20%E2%80%93%20firstly%20that%20is%20the%20most%20important.%E2%80%9D">'He's not getting a gig in the IPL, didn't get picked up there': Michael Clarke lashes out at selectors for picking Steve Smith in T20Is as opener</a><a href="https://production-admin.thesportstak.com/news/The%20riddle%20of%20no.4%20spot%20in%20ODIs%20for%20the%20Indian%20side%20is%20yet%20to%20be%20solved.%20Over%20the%20years,%20several%20players%20have%20been%20tested%20at%20this%20spot.%20While%20many%20failed,%20few%20showed%20promise%20but%20a%20couple%20of%20injuries%20have%20left%20Team%20India%20looking%20for%20a%20batter%20to%20play%20the%20important%20role%20less%20than%20a%20couple%20of%20months%20later.%20India's%20ODI%20skipper%20Rohit%20SHarma%20has%20admitted%20that%20it%20has%20been%20an%20issue%20and%20said%20that%20no%20batter%20has%20solidified%20his%20spot%20since%20the%20legendary%20all-rounder%20Yuvraj%20Singh's%20retirement.%20%E2%80%9CLook,%20No.%204%20has%20been%20an%20issue%20for%20us%20for%20a%20long%20time.%20After%20Yuvi%20(Yuvraj%20Singh),%20nobody%20has%20come%20and%20settled%20themselves%20in.%20%E2%80%9CBut,%20for%20a%20long%20period%20of%20time,%20Shreyas%20(Iyer)%20has%20actually%20batted%20at%20No.%204%20and%20he%20has%20done%20well%20%E2%80%94%20his%20numbers%20are%20really%20good,%E2%80%9D%20Rohit%20told%20reporters%20on%20the%20sidelines%20of%20a%20La%20Liga%20event%20here.%20%E2%80%9CUnfortunately,%20injuries%20have%20given%20him%20a%20bit%20of%20trouble;%20he%20has%20been%20out%20for%20a%20while%20and%20that%20is%20honestly%20what%20has%20happened%20in%20the%20last%204-5%20years.%20A%20lot%20of%20these%20guys%20have%20got%20injured%20and%20you%20will%20always%20see%20a%20new%20guy%20coming%20and%20playing%20there,%E2%80%9D%20he%20said.%20Shreyas%20Iyer%20has%20been%20the%20top%20performer%20for%20India%20at%20no.4%20scoring%20805%20runs%20at%20an%20average%20of%2047.35%20including%20two%20centuries%20and%20five%20half-centuries.%20He%20is%20likely%20to%20make%20a%20comeback%20soon%20after%20recovering%20from%20back%20injury%20that%20kept%20him%20out%20of%20action%20for%20months.%20%20%E2%80%9CThe%20percentage%20of%20injuries%20that%20have%20happened%20in%20the%20last%204-5%20years,%20it%20is%20massive.%20When%20the%20players%20get%20injured%20or%20are%20not%20available,%20you%20try%20doing%20different%20things%20with%20different%20players%20%E2%80%94%20that%20is%20what%20I%20have%20to%20say%20about%20No.%204,%E2%80%9D%20he%20said.%20%E2%80%9CEven%20before,%20when%20I%20was%20not%20the%20captain,%20I%20was%20watching%20no?%20There%20were%20so%20many%20guys%20who%20came%20in%20and%20went%20out.%20But%20injuries%20kept%20them%20away%20or%20they%20were%20not%20available%20or%20someone%20lost%20form,%E2%80%9D%20Rohit%20added.%20Along%20with%20Iyer,%20KL%20Rahul%20is%20expected%20to%20make%20a%20comeback%20as%20well.%20With%20Asia%20Cup%20squad%20announcement%20just%20around%20the%20corner,%20Rohit%20has%20said%20that%20nobody%20is%20guaranteed%20an%20automatic%20spot.%20%E2%80%9CNo%20one%20is%20an%20automatic%20(selection),%20even%20I%20am%20not.%20We%20have%20this%20thing%20where%20nobody%20is%20guaranteed%20a%20spot.%20We%20cannot%20say%20that%20%E2%80%98you%20are%20there%20after%20all%E2%80%99%20or%20things%20like%20that,%E2%80%9D%20the%2036-year-old%20said.%20%E2%80%9CThe%20selection%20(meeting)%20will%20be%20there%20in%20a%20few%20days,%20we%20will%20have%20a%20good%20debate%20about%20what%20we%20can%20do.%20But%20honestly%20nobody%20is%20an%20automatic%20choice%20%E2%80%93%20they%20all%20have%20to%20fight%20for%20the%20spot%20%E2%80%93%20everyone%20has%20to,%20whether%20it%20is%20a%20top%20spot%20or%20a%20bottom%20spot.%E2%80%9D%20Ahead%20of%20World%20Cup%202023,%20Rohit%20is%20not%20afraid%20to%20experiment%20by%20putting%20few%20players%20in%20pressure%20situations%20in%20order%20to%20test%20them.%20%E2%80%9CWe%20will%20see,%20we%20want%20to%20win%20but%20at%20the%20same%20time%20there%20are%20a%20lot%20of%20questions%20that%20we%20need%20answers%20of.%20But%20in%20the%20Asia%20Cup,%20I%20want%20to%20see%20some%20of%20the%20guys%20batting%20under%20pressure%20against%20quality%20teams,%E2%80%9D%20he%20said.%20%20%E2%80%9CI%20still%20want%20to%20see%20those%20things,%20so%20we%20will%20wait%20and%20see%20what%20happens,%20but%20it%20is%20always%20nice%20to%20have%20a%20lot%20of%20names,%20rather%20than%20just%20one%20or%20two%20names.%20I%20hope%20they%20are%20fit%20in%20time%20%E2%80%93%20firstly%20that%20is%20the%20most%20important.%E2%80%9D">Watch: Tamil Nadu's Baba Aparajith gets involved in heated exchange with umpire and opposition players for several minutes</a>

Shabnim Ismail took a sensational hat-trick off the last three balls of the innings to win the game for Birmingham Phoenix by three runs

Watch: One wicket down, 4 needed from 3 balls, then Shabnim Ismail takes sensational hat-trick to win the game

Indian women’s cricket team captain <a href="https://m.thesportstak.com/playerstats/cricket/harmanpreet-kaur-cricket-india">Harmanpreet Kaur</a> recently voiced her stance on the heated incident that transpired during the third ODI against Bangladesh in Dhaka last month. The incident has kept the cricketing world abuzz and brought Kaur under the spotlight, more for her on-field outburst than her notable cricketing skills.In a turn of events that many termed "uncharacteristic", Kaur was handed a two-match suspension following her spontaneous reaction to an umpiring decision. Fans and followers of the game watched in surprise as Harmanpreet, disagreeing with the umpire's verdict, gave vent to her frustration by smashing the stumps. This ban means that the dynamic cricketer will be conspicuously absent from India’s initial two T20I matches at the much-anticipated Hangzhou Asian Games, scheduled for September-October.But the controversies didn’t stop at the field. Harmanpreet’s candid views extended to the post-match presentation as well, where she didn't mince words in expressing her discontent with the officiating. Describing the umpiring during the bilateral series as "pathetic", Kaur made it evident that she was far from pleased.Despite the series of setbacks, Kaur remains unfazed. She stated that she harbors no regrets over her actions, implying that she believes in standing her ground and expressing her views."I will not say that I regret anything because at the end of the day as a player you want to see that fair things are happening. As a player, you always have the right to express yourself and what you're feeling," Harmanpreet was quoted as saying by The Cricket Paper during the Women’s Hundred."I don't think I said anything wrong to any player or any person. I just said what happened on the field. I don't regret anything," she added.Her stint with the Trent Rockets in the ongoing tournament now carries an added layer of interest. Fans and experts alike are keen to see how the seasoned player channels her energies and responds to the recent events on the global platform.While the ban has been the talk of the town, it’s not the only repercussion Harmanpreet faces. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has further penalized her by awarding three demerit points for "showing dissent at an umpiring decision". Adding to that, her candid remarks about the match officials earned her an additional demerit point for "public criticism".&nbsp;MORE ON SPORTS TAK:&nbsp;<a href="https://m.thesportstak.com/cricket-news/ireland-vs-india-2nd-t20i-toss-playing-xi-jasprit-bumrah-captain-paul-stirling-elects-to-bowl-the-village-dublin">IRE vs IND: Paul Stirling elects to bowl after winning toss in Dublin, Jasprit Bumrah-led India elects to field same playing XI</a> <a href="https://m.thesportstak.com/cricket-news/ravichandran-ashwin-opens-up-about-not-being-in-scheme-of-things-for-2023-odi-world-cup-selection-team-india-squad-schedule">Ravichandran Ashwin opens up about not being in scheme of things for 2023 ODI World Cup selection, says ‘even if I am not playing...’</a>

Indian women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur recently voiced her stance on the heated incident that transpired during the third ODI against Bangladesh in Dhaka last month.

'I don't regret anything': Harmanpreet Kaur defends herself over massive outburst during Bangladesh tour

Alex Hartley, a stalwart in women's cricket who was an integral part of the England's squad during their 2017 Women’s World Cup victory, has confirmed her decision to retire from cricket as soon as the Women's Hundred tournament concludes. Her incredible career boasts of taking 10 crucial wickets in the World Cup, with her sterling performance of two wickets for 58 runs in the epic final against India standing out as a highlight in her international journey which spanned 28 ODIs and four T20s.&nbsp;<div class="raw-html-embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It’s time… to say goodbye to cricket. Three more games to go with the Fire girls first. 🫶🏼 <a href="https://t.co/mAZLXx5C5R">pic.twitter.com/mAZLXx5C5R</a>— Alexandra Hartley (@AlexHartley93) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexHartley93/status/1693914121266135195?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>&nbsp;While Hartley has been absent from the England roster since 2019, she made headlines in May when she took a brief break from cricket. Citing mental health reasons, she openly expressed how she had momentarily lost her passion for the sport.&nbsp;However, her love for the game saw her make a return for the Welsh Fire. This team has already ensured a spot in the upcoming eliminator at the Kia Oval and might even make it to the grand final at Lord’s. Regardless of the Fire's performance in these crucial matches, Hartley, also renowned for her broadcasting role with BBC’s Test Match Special, has made it clear that her cricket journey will draw to a close this weekend.&nbsp;“I’m hanging the boots up. I am officially retiring from cricket,” shared the 29-year-old Hartley on her BBC ‘No Balls’ podcast. “I can’t believe it, I feel so good. I’ve loved it, I’ve hated it but I am really proud of what I’ve achieved. It’s everything that I’ve ever wanted to do.”&nbsp;While Hartley's stellar international career started in 2016, she reflects that nearly 17 years have been dedicated to the sport she loves. The talented cricketer now looks forward to enjoying some free moments, albeit she'll remain connected to cricket in other capacities. “At the minute, it’s work, cricket, work, cricket. I haven’t seen my school friends for about a year because I never have time,” she expressed.&nbsp;Currently playing for North West Thunder on the domestic front since 2020, Hartley has added two wickets under her belt in three matches for the Cardiff-based Fire. As the table stands, they're in second place and stand a chance to top the charts and make it directly to the Lord's final, based on the outcomes of their upcoming matches.&nbsp;MORE ON SPORTS TAK:<a href="https://m.thesportstak.com/cricket-news/asia-cup-will-be-big-part-of-india-preparations-for-odi-world-cup-tim-southee">'Asia Cup will be big part of India's preparations for ODI World Cup': New Zealand skipper</a> <a href="https://m.thesportstak.com/cricket-news/rinku-singh-story-is-of-hard-work-and-perseverance-kolkata-knight-riders-coach-abhishek-nayar">‘Rinku Singh’s story is of hard work and perseverance’: Kolkata Knight Riders' coach</a>

Alex Hartley, a stalwart in women's cricket who was an integral part of the England's squad during their 2017 Women’s World Cup victory, has confirmed her decision to retire from cricket as soon as the Women's Hundred tournament concludes.

England's World Cup-winner announces retirement from professional cricket after conclusion of The Hundred

India's star batter Smriti Mandhana created a stunning record on Friday (August 4), as she became the first player to notch 500 runs in the Women's Hundred in the match against Welsh Fire in Southampton. Playing for Southern Brave Mandhana also notched the record of smashing most fifties in 100-ball tournament. She has now amassed 503 runs and belted five fifties in the Women's Hundred tournament. &nbsp;&nbsp;Before the match against, Mandhana was tied with her fellow Indian cricketer, Jemimah Rodrigues, each with four fifty-plus scores in the history of the Women's Hundred tournament. However, Mandhana's exceptional performance on Friday saw her surpass Rodrigues, setting a new record. Danni Wyatt, who is also a teammate of Mandhana in Southern Brave, has matched Rodrigues with four 50-plus scores.&nbsp;Notably, in the 2022 season of The Hundred, Smriti Mandhana led the score charts for Southern Braves with 211 runs. During the 2021 edition of the tournament, she had amassed 167 runs. Continuing her impressive form, Smriti has already scored 125 runs in just two matches in the 2023 edition of The Hundred.&nbsp;Achieving her half-century in just 33 balls with a splendid boundary through the mid-wicket region off Freya Davies, Mandhana concluded her innings with an unbeaten 70 runs off 42 balls, including 11 boundaries.&nbsp;&nbsp;Unfortunately, Mandhana's superb knock went unrewarded as the Brave lost the match by a slim margin of four runs. Despite back-to-back fifties by Mandhana, the team fell short with five runs needed off the last ball.&nbsp;On the winning side, Hayley Matthews starred with a 65-run knock off 38 balls, including 13 fours, enabling the Fire to reach the second-highest score in the Women's Hundred's history. Her contribution also extended to picking up the crucial wicket of Chloe Tryon, earning her the Player of the Match award.Mandhana's form in the tournament has been nothing short of phenomenal. While her 125 runs from two games at an average of 125 and a strike-rate of 160.25 depict her dominance, there seems to be a mistake in the article as she is described as the leading wicket-taker. Given the context, this likely refers to her being the leading run-scorer in the tournament.&nbsp;Under the leadership of Anya Shrubsole, Southern Brave is currently holding the third position in the standings with two points and a net run rate of 0.575, reflecting a single victory in two matches.&nbsp;Smriti Mandhana's accomplishment in the Women's Hundred adds yet another feather to her cap, strengthening her status as one of the leading figures in women's cricket, not only in India but globally. Her consistent performances continue to be a driving force in women's cricket and inspire the next generation of players.&nbsp;MORE ON SPORTS TAK:<a href="https://m.thesportstak.com/cricket-news/salman-butt-slams-rohit-sharma-with-choker-jibe-odi-world-cup-india-vs-pakistan">Ex-Pakistani star batter slams Rohit Sharma with choker jibe, says 'can't deliver in pressure..'</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://m.thesportstak.com/cricket-news/virat-kohli-to-sacrifice-number-3-spot-major-reshuffle-india-can-go-through-if-kl-rahul-shreyas-fail-to-prove-fitness-for-asia-cup-odi-wc">Kohli to sacrifice no.3 spot? Major reshuffle India can go through if Rahul, Shreyas fail to prove fitness for Asia Cup, ODI WC</a> <a href="https://m.thesportstak.com/cricket-news/ben-stokes-left-clueless-after-luggage-goes-missing-post-british-airways-flight-puts-out-tweet-for-help">Ben Stokes left clueless after luggage goes missing post British Airways flight, puts out tweet for help</a> <a href="https://m.thesportstak.com/soccer-news/crocodile-kills-footballer-jesus-alberto-lopez-ortiz-in-costa-rica-while-swimming">Crocodile kills and devours footballer Jesus Alberto Lopez Ortiz in Costa Rica while swimming</a> <a href="https://m.thesportstak.com/cricket-news/glenn-mcgrath-reveals-his-favourites-for-odi-world-cup-2023-india-pakistan-australia-england">Glenn McGrath reveals his favourites for ODI World Cup 2023, says ‘they are the best four for semis’</a>

India's star batter Smriti Mandhana created a stunning record on Friday (August 4), as she became the first player to notch 500 runs in the Women's Hundred in the match against Welsh Fire in Southampton.

Smriti Mandhana creates history, becomes 1st player to do this in Women's Hundred

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. &nbsp;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. &nbsp;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.<div class="raw-html-embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">💥 The first six of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheHundred?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheHundred</a> 2023! 💥 Who else but <a href="https://twitter.com/mandhana_smriti?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mandhana_smriti</a>? 😍 <a href="https://t.co/cLMS5cb9ze">pic.twitter.com/cLMS5cb9ze</a>— The Hundred (@thehundred) <a href="https://twitter.com/thehundred/status/1686387974731431937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>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. &nbsp;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.&nbsp; &nbsp;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.&nbsp; &nbsp;MORE ON SPORTS TAK:&nbsp;<a href="https://m.thesportstak.com/cricket-news/rinku-singh-emotional-reacts-after-getting-picked-in-india-t20i-squad-for-ireland-series">'I don’t want to wake up anytime soon': Emotional Rinku Singh reacts after getting picked in India's T20I squad for Ireland series</a> <a href="https://m.thesportstak.com/cricket-news/ravindra-jadeja-strongly-retaliates-to-kapil-dev-sometimes-too-much-money-comes-arrogance-comes-remark-on-indian-players">Ravindra Jadeja strongly retaliates to Kapil Dev's 'sometimes too much money comes, arrogance comes' remark on Indian players</a>

Smriti Mandhana's 55-run knock helped Southern Brave register 27-run win in The Hundred 2023 opener.

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

England's Tammy Beaumont went berserk at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff as Trent Rockets bowlers failed to take off. Beaumont did not spare any bowler, English or otherwise in her carnage-filled knock to become the first-ever centurion in in The Hundred Women's Competition 2023. Her score of 118 is also the highest individual score in The Hundred (men or women). &nbsp;The Welsh Fire skipper made her intentions known early on in the innings after winning the toss and opting to bat first. She hit Bryony Smit for two fours and a six in the third over. She kept on finding boundaries. Near the halfway stage, Sophia Dunkley departed for 18-ball 24. &nbsp;Beaumont continued to fire and hit Cassidy McCarthy for four consecutive fours. She gave a similar treatment to Naomi Dattani. The boundaries continued to flow and Beaumont reached her century. It was off the penultimate ball of the innings bowled by Kirstie Gordon that she lost her wicket.<div class="raw-html-embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">"I don't know what just happened to be honest!" 🤣 Tammy Beaumont reacts to hitting the highest individual score in The Hundred's history with 118 runs from 61 balls 🙌 <a href="https://t.co/OVjFlWMS8M">pic.twitter.com/OVjFlWMS8M</a>— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkySportsNews/status/1691122216388153344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The 32-year-old hit as many as 20 fours and two sixes in her 61-ball 118. Her mammoth knock helped Welsh Fire post a massive total of 181/3. Apart from Beaumont, wicketkeeper-batter Sarah Bryce scored 31 runs from 20 balls and remained unbeaten. For Trent Rockets, Bryony was the most expensive bowler conceding 52 runs from 20 balls. &nbsp;In the run chase, Bryony made up for conceding too many boundaries but Lizelle Lee could not break the shackles. Lee got out after a 24-ball 26 to South African pacer Shabnim Ismail. Bryony smashed Claire Nicholas for three sixes in a single over. She missed her half-century and became Freya Davies' first victim of the day. She scored 48 runs from 21 balls including four fours and as many sixes. &nbsp;Nat Sciver-Brunt failed to make a mark and departed after scoring 10 runs. Harmanpreet Kaur could not hit the big shots and the run chase was derailed. In the end, Trent Rockets could post 140/5 and lost the match by 41 runs. Indian skipper Harmanpreet remained unbeaten for 22 from 23 balls. &nbsp;With a commanding win, Welsh Fire have reached the summit of the points table with their fourth win in six games. On the other hand, Trent Tockers are placed sixth on the points table with just one win from five games. &nbsp;MORE ON SPORTS TAK:<a href="https://m.thesportstak.com/cricket-news/steven-finn-retirement-england-fast-bowler-who-won-ashes-thrice-surrenders-to-injury">'I have admitted defeat': England fast bowler, who won Ashes thrice, surrenders to injury, announces retirement from cricket</a> <a href="https://m.thesportstak.com/cricket-news/salman-butt-gives-verdict-on-team-india-after-t20i-series-loss-against-west-indies-says-it-will-effect-india-morale">Ex-Pakistan captain gives verdict on Team India after T20I series loss against West Indies, says 'it will effect India's morale'</a>

Tammy Beaumont's score of 118 is the highest individual score in The Hundred (men or women)

Unsold in WPL 2023 auction, England batter Tammy Beaumont becomes first-ever centurion in The Hundred

Smriti Mandhana's purple patch in The Hundred Women's Competition 2023 continued. Mandhana scored an unbeaten 70 for Sourther Brave but it was not enough to save them from a four-run loss against Welsh Fire at The Rose Bowl, Southampton on August 4. &nbsp;<h3>Big opening partnership &nbsp;</h3>In the big run chase of 166, Mandhana and Danielle Wyatt got their side off to an ideal start. Wyatt targetted Hayley Matthews who represented Mumbai Indians in the inaugural edition of Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023. Wyatt hit her for two fours and a six. Both Mandhana and Wyatt kept finding boundaries and kept Brave in the hunt. &nbsp;<h3>Mandhana couldn’t finish it off &nbsp;</h3>The partnership was broken off the 58th ball. Wyatt got out after scoring 67 runs from 37 balls including 10 fours and two sixes. Mandhana found boundaries but did not get much support from the other end. Maia Bouchier and Chloe Tryon both got stumped for single-digit scores. In the five deliveries, Matthews made a comeback and did not let Mandhana or new batter Freya Kemp hit a boundary. Southern Brave posted 161/4 but lost the match by four runs. Mandhana's 42-ball 70 included 11 fours. This was her second half-century of the season. &nbsp;<h3>Blazing start &nbsp;</h3>Earlier, Brave skipper Anya Shrubsole won the toss and opted to bowl first. Matthews took on Shrubsole during the fielding restrictions. Skipper Tammy Beaumont contributed with a 17-ball 26 cameo. Laura Harris came out all guns blazing and smacked two sixes, and two fours in the seven-ball 20 before getting run out by Bouchier's direct hit from boundary.&nbsp;<div class="raw-html-embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">That is OUTRAGEOUS 🤯<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheHundred?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheHundred</a> <a href="https://t.co/3znqkD0buZ">pic.twitter.com/3znqkD0buZ</a>— The Hundred (@thehundred) <a href="https://twitter.com/thehundred/status/1687480792874676224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h3>Welsh Fire post big total &nbsp;</h3>Matthews hit as many as 13 fours in her 65-run knock from 38 deliveries. The Caribbean all-rounder was caught and bowled by Tryon. Wicketkeeper-batter Sarah Bryce and Georgia Elwiss helped Welsh Fire finish well and post 165/3. Bryce scored 21 runs from 19 balls whereas Elwiss scored 28 runs from 20 balls. Shrubsole was the most expensive of the lot. She conceded 42 runs from 20 balls. &nbsp;With a closely-fought win, Welsh Fire climbed to the top of the points table. Brave slipped to the second place as Northern Superchargers have a better net run rate than them. &nbsp;MORE ON SPORTS TAK:<a href="https://m.thesportstak.com/cricket-news/ireland-announce-t20i-squad-for-india-series-gareth-delany-makes-return">Ireland announce T20I squad for India series, star all-rounder makes return</a> <a href="https://m.thesportstak.com/cricket-news/england-alex-hales-retires-from-international-cricket-with-immediate-effect">England's T20 World Cup-winner, who was banned for drug use, retires from international cricket</a><a href="https://m.thesportstak.com/cricket-news/icc-punish-india-and-west-indies-players-for-maintaining-slow-over-rate-during-1st-t20i">ICC punish India and West Indies players for maintaining slow over rate during 1st T20I</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://m.thesportstak.com/cricket-news/ind-vs-wi-robin-uthappa-demands-longer-rope-for-sanju-samson-for-t20-world-cup-2024">IND vs WI: India's World Cup-winning batter demands longer rope for Sanju Samson</a>

Southern Brave opener Smriti Mandhana has scored 125 runs from two games in the Hundred already

Smriti Mandhana's 70-run knock goes in vain as Mumbai Indians all-rounder's last over heroics lead Welsh Fire to 4-run win

Get the latest The Hundred Womens live score, The Hundred Womens schedule and The Hundred Womens latest news only on thesportstak

Get the Latest News on The Hundred Womens - thesportstak

IND vs SL

Dynamic Banner

Sri Lanka tour of West Indies, 2026

India tour of England, 2026

Pakistan tour of England, 2026

Afghanistan tour of Ireland, 2026

Bangladesh tour of Australia, 2026

India tour of Zimbabwe, 2026

New Zealand tour of West Indies, 2026

Pakistan tour of West Indies, 2026

India tour of Sri Lanka, 2026

Featured League

Insights

Editor's Choice

IPL 2026

Five-time champions Mumbai Indians have named Zubin Bharucha as their Director of Performance ahead of Indian Premier League 2027

Zubin Bharucha has become Mumbai Indians' Director of Performance

Zubin Bharucha was earlier associated with RR as their High-Performance Director

Mumbai Indians' fans in this frame. (Getty)

MI rope in ex-Rajasthan Royals' linchpin for top role ahead of IPL 2026

Here is all about Medhavi Bidhuri as the Delhi leg-spinner’s '67' celebration goes viral. A look at who she is, her age, bio, team, and more. 

Despite Bidhuri’s efforts and an economical spell from Sumiti Soni (2/13), South Delhi Superstarz posted 156/5 and restricted the Queens to a total that left them 29 runs short

Who is Medhavi Bidhuri? Delhi leg spinner's '67' celebration goes viral

Medhavi Bidhuri, Delhi Premier League

Others

PV Sindhu has expressed her doubts over Wang Zhi’s injury after the World Championships exit. The badminton star has questioned the injury to her opponent. Here is what she has said.  

Playing in front of a supportive home crowd, Sindhu recovered from a one-sided opening game to force a decider, only to fall short in the closing stages

The result ended India’s singles campaign at the tournament and concluded Sindhu’s previously perfect record against Chinese opponents at the World Championships

PV Sindhu questions Wang Zhi’s injury after World Championships exit: ‘Maybe...'

PV Sindhu, World Championships

Hockey

India and the Netherlands are set to face each other in the second round of the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026. Here is when and where to watch the action live.  

Netherlands hold the stunning head-to-head record with 11 wins

Harmanpreet Singh-led side opened their campaign against Wales and defeated the opponents with a score of 3-1

India vs Netherlands men's  FIH Hockey World Cup 2026: How to watch?

FIH Hockey World Cup 2026

India tour of Sri Lanka 2026

Gautam Gambhir hit back at critics questioning his position as India head coach, insisting his focus remains on winning trophies rather than chasing views and likes.
