The Indian women’s cricket team, led by skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, is hosting South Africa for a multi-format series from June 16 to July 9. India currently leads the One-Day Internationals (ODIs) series 1-0. In the 2nd ODI, Smriti Mandhana not only registered her seventh ODI century, amassing 136 runs off 120 balls, bettering her previous personal best of 135 runs (173 balls), which she also achieved against South Africa on February 7, 2018, at Kimberley.
In the 2nd ODI, Mandhana’s impressive 136-run innings included eighteen fours and two sixes, with a strike rate of 113.33. India had a slow start and lost Shafali Verma early, at 38/1 in 11.4 overs. Mandhana began cautiously, scoring only 19 runs off her first 40 balls. After Verma’s dismissal, she gradually increased her scoring rate, amassing 90 runs in her next 69 balls, eventually reaching her seventh ODI century and registering her new personal best.
This score of 136(120) is her overall best across formats in international cricket, as in T20Is 87(84) against Ireland in February 2023 is her best whereas in Tests 127(245) against Australia in September 2021. Additionally, this is the highest ODI score against South Africa by an Indian woman cricketer. Previously also Mandhana held this record, making her the most successful Indian batter against the Proteas.
Highest ODI score for India women against South Africa:
136 Smriti Mandhana at Bangalore, 2024
135 Smriti Mandhana at Kimberley, 2018
117 Smriti Mandhana at Bangalore, 2024
Another record Mandhana achieved with this performance is the most runs scored in a 3-match bilateral series by an Indian, with 225* runs against South Africa in 2024.
Most runs in a 3-match bilateral series by an Indian:
Smriti Mandhana 225* runs vs South Africa 2024
Harmanpreet Kaur 221 runs vs England 2022
Smriti Mandhana 219 runs vs South Africa 2018
Mithali Raj 206 runs vs England 2021
Smriti Mandhana 196 runs vs New Zealand 2019
This personal best of 136 runs (120 balls) also marked Mandhana’s consecutive century in this series, following her 117 runs off 127 deliveries in the 1st ODI.