Here are the top 5 One Day International knocks by female cricketers –
5) Mithali Raj – 91* vs New Zealand
Women’s leading run-scorer, Mithali Raj played this masterclass against a strong Kiwi side on a difficult track, which makes this knock her favourite. Coming to bat at the fall of 2nd wicket with the score reeling at 38. With some support by Anjum Chopra and middle order. What makes this innings a special one was, she played with a knee injury and almost singlehandedly took India to its first World Cup Final.
4) Chamari Atapattu – 178* vs Australia
“A World Cup masterclass” as it was defined by the Cricket Pundits, Chamari Atapattu smashed the Aussie bowling attack at the Bristol ground. The Sri Lankan number 3 paved her way to this innings with 22 fours and 6 sixes. But unfortunately, the Sri Lankan team couldn’t defend their total. Atapattu’s contributed a record 69.26% of the total score and played this sumptuous inning when her team needed it the most.
3) Harmanpreet Kaur – 171* vs Australia
A typical English summer day, with the Rain Gods showing their presence time and time again, forced the semi-final match of the ICC Women’s World Cup to be a 42-overs per side contest. Winning the toss, Aussies put the Indians to bat; completely unaware of what was to follow. After a shaky start, with the Indian team’s score at 35/2, Harmanpreet came to the crease and made everyone sit back and take a note off. It was some clean hitting by the Punjab born. This innings included 20 fours and 7 sixes and is been termed as the best innings by an Indian in World Cup.
2) Stafanie Taylor – 171 vs Sri Lanka
The Jamaican bowler Stafanie Taylor made the 2013 World Cup her own. She broke records after records in the marquee tournament. But her most famous innings came against Sri Lanka. Opening the innings, Taylor went on a rampage against clueless Lankan bowling. Her innings included 18 fours and 2 sixes. This innings of her powered West Indies to 368.
1) Belinda Clark – 229* vs Denmark
This innings by the Aussie skipper truly holds a special place in every cricket fans’ mind. Batting on a decent MIG pitch at Bombay, Belinda Clark plundered the Denmark bowling all over the ground. Scoring just 88 runs of the boundaries, Belinda was very swift between the wickets. What makes this special is, she is the first cricketer to notch up a double hundred in an ODI inning, way way before her male counterparts, Sachin and Sehwag.
