Recently, Indian opener Smriti Mandhana marked a remarkable milestone by scoring her eighth ODI century, surpassing the legendary Mithali Raj to claim the record for the most centuries by an Indian batter in Women’s ODIs. This article delves into the top 5 Indian batters with the most ODI centuries.
Top 5 Indian batters with the most ODI centuries:
1) Smriti Mandhana – 8 Centuries
Indian cricket has witnessed a surge in the women’s game, and one name that shines brightly is Smriti Mandhana. In 2016, against Australia at Hobart, Mandhana scored her maiden century, with a knock of 102 off 109 balls, earning her the Player of the Match award. Her first World Cup century came in 2017 when she scored an unbeaten 106 against the West Indies. Interestingly, Mandhana’s first five ODI centuries were all scored away from home. Known for her elegant batting style and aggressive approach, she became a fan favorite. In June 2024, the left-handed batter scored her first ODI century at Bengaluru, making 117 in the first ODI against South Africa, followed by a splendid 136 in the next game—her highest score in Women’s ODIs to date. In October 2024, she achieved her eighth century, scoring exactly 100 in the third ODI against New Zealand, making her the first Indian batter to reach this milestone. Notably, in each of her century-scoring matches, Mandhana has also won the Player of the Match award.
HISTORY MADE AT NARENDRA MODI STADIUM!
Smriti Mandhana scores 8th ODI Century 💯 #CricketTwitter #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/8rdsxZjkWr
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) October 29, 2024
2) Mithali Raj – 7 Centuries
The former Indian captain, often hailed as one of the greatest women’s cricketers, holds the second spot. Mithali Raj had a stellar start to her ODI career, scoring her first century on debut in 1999 against Ireland, with an unbeaten 114. Her first ODI century on home soil came in Rajkot against the West Indies in 2011, where she remained unbeaten on 109. She scored her first World Cup century in the 2013 edition, scoring an unbeaten 103 against Pakistan. In 2018, she recorded her highest ODI score of an unbeaten 125 against Sri Lanka, becoming the first Indian batter to achieve seven centuries. Out of her seven ODI centuries, Mithali has remained unbeaten on six occasions.
3) Harmanpreet Kaur – 6 Centuries
A fierce competitor known for her powerful batting; Harmanpreet Kaur ranks third with six centuries. Her first ODI century came during the 2013 ODI World Cup in India, where she scored an unbeaten 107 against England at the Brabourne Stadium. Her second century came later that year, as captain, when she scored 103 off 100 balls against Bangladesh. Harmanpreet’s career-defining moment arrived with her monumental 171 against Australia in the 2017 ODI World Cup semifinal, marking both her highest ODI score and the highest by an Indian batter in ODI World Cups. Her ability to score quickly and dominate bowlers has made her an invaluable asset to the team.
4) Punam Raut – 3 Centuries
At number four is the elegant Indian opener, Punam Raut, with three ODI centuries in her career. Her maiden century came in 2017 against Ireland, where she scored an unbeaten 109, her highest ODI score. Her second century was also in 2017, during the ODI World Cup against Australia, where she scored 106. Her first century on Indian soil was recorded in 2021 against South Africa, with an unbeaten 104. Throughout her ODI career, Raut has scored over 2,200 runs in 73 matches.
5) Thirush Kamini – 2 Centuries
Thirush Kamini, a left-handed batter, is fifth on the list of Indian women’s ODI century-makers. She scored her first century during the 2013 Women’s ODI World Cup, with a knock of 100 against the West Indies at Brabourne Stadium. Her second ODI century came in the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier, where she scored an unbeaten 113 against Ireland in Colombo.
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