The Indian women’s cricket team is continuing their dominance over South Africa in the ongoing multi-format series at home from June 16 to July 9, currently in a comfortable position by batting first in the one-off Test at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, thanks to the opening batters Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana.
Shafali Verma not only registered her maiden Test hundred but also converted it to become the fastest to reach a double century. After reaching her century in 113 balls, she accelerated, scoring the fastest-ever Test 150 in 158 balls and then the fastest 200 overall by facing 194 balls. She smashed a total of 23 boundaries and 8 maximums, maintaining a strike rate of 104.06.
DOUBLE CENTURY! 💯
200* in 194 balls for 20-year-old!
Shafali Verma becomes just the 2nd Indian to achieve this milestone 🫡 #CricketTwitter #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/6TadFxf0C1
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) June 28, 2024
Verma reached the 200-mark in the 72.3 over of the first innings, surpassing the previous fastest 200 record held by Annabel Sutherland. Additionally, she became the second youngest and the second Indian to achieve this feat.
Standing ovation for Shafali Verma on her Double Century 🔥 #CricketTwitter #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/10EwDAzATa
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) June 28, 2024
Fastest 200 in Tests (BY BALLS FACED)
194 Shafali Verma IND v SA, 2024
248 Annabel Sutherland AUS v SA, 2024
306 Karen Rolton AUS v ENG, 2001
317 Tammy Beaumont ENG v AUS, 2023
343 Micehlle Goszko AUS v ENG, 2001
20-year-old Shafali Verma took just 194 balls to score Fastest Test Double Century 🔥 #CricketTwitter #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/RAqjyV5uHe
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) June 28, 2024
Youngest woman to score a Test double century:
19y 256d – Mithali Raj (India) v England, 2002
20y 152d – Shafali Verma (India) v South Africa, 2024
22y 127d – Annabel Sutherland (Australia) v South Africa, 2024
23y 261d – Michelle Goszko (Australia) v England, 2001
26y 22d – Kiran Baluch (Pakistan) v West Indies, 2004
Her score of 205 runs (off 197 balls) is her personal best across all three formats of international cricket, with her highest scores in One Day Internationals (ODIs) being 71* and in T20 Internationals (T20Is) being 73.
Furthermore, this is also Verma’s highest score against South Africa.
India had clinched the three-match One-Day Internationals (ODIs) series 3-0. After the one-off Test match, both teams will compete in three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) from July 5 to July 9, all taking place in Chennai.