It was a bittersweet ending for Smriti Mandhana who registered her maiden Women Big Bash League (WBBL) century in a nail-biting run chase. The Sydney Thunder opened remained unbeaten for 114 but her dreamy innings went in vain as her Indian teammate Harmanpreet Kaur successfully defended 13 runs in the last over. Chasing a target of 176 set by Melbourne Renegades, Sydney Thunder fell short of the win by four runs.
Mandhana vs Harmanpreet
The right-arm off-spinner Harmanpreet did not concede a single boundary in the last over. India’s T20I skipper made Mandhana reach for the ball in the final over and did not give her any pace to work with. She was also dropped at long-off off the fourth ball of the final over. In the end, Mandhana needed six runs off the final ball but could score just a single.
No support from other end
The 25-year-old remained unbeaten for 114 from 64 deliveries including 14 fours and three sixes. She scored at a strike rate of 178.89. The southpaw did not have much support from the other end as Tahlia Wilson scored 40 runs from 39 deliveries. Mandhana did the bulk of scoring in the unbeaten 125-run partnership for the third wicket.
Mandhana reached her maiden WBBL century in an emphatic fashion. She was batting for 79 at the end of 17th over. The need of the hour was boundaries and in the 18th over, she scored 24 runs off Holly Ferling’s over to reached three figures. She hit two fours, two sixes and ran a couple of twos between the wickets. She took 57 deliveries to reach her century.
Earlier she reached her half-century at the halfway stage of the run chase from 31 deliveries. In the high-scoring run chase, she changed the game single-handedly.
In the first innings, Harmanpreet was the star for Renegades scoring an unbeaten 81 off 55 deliveries including 11 fours and two sixes. Later she also took the wicket of Mandhana’s opening partner Sammy-Jo Johnson in the powerplay overs. She conceded just 27 runs in four overs she bowled.
WBBL record for Mandhana
This is the joint-highest score by a batter in the history of WBBL. Ashleigh Gardner also scored 114, nearly four years ago. She scored 114 from 52 deliveries for Sydney Sixers against Melbourne Stars in 2017. Mandhana’s unbeaten 114 is also the highest score in a run chase and in losing cause.
It is also the highest score and first century by an Indian batter in the Australia T20 league. She broke the record Harmanpreet created in the first innings with her unbeaten 81. This is the fourth century of the ongoing season as well.
