Stats: Smriti Mandhana scores the fastest century in Kia Super League

Smriti Mandhana continued her domination in the ongoing Kia Super League as she now holds the record of the fastest fifty and also the fastest century in the history of the league. She began the tournament with a 20-ball 48 on debut and followed it with a breezy 37. Mandhana equalled the record for fastest fifty in Women’s Twenty20 cricket with her 18-ball fifty in a 6-over game for her team Western Storm. She struck an unbeaten 27-ball 43 during a 92-run chase two days later.

On Friday, in the game against Lancashire Thunder, the left-handed opener punched a brilliant 102 off 60 balls with help of 12 fours and four maximums. Chasing a target of 154, Western Storm were two down for 47 in the 6th over. Mandhana held command of the proceedings scoring a fifty in 34 balls and accelerated in the 2nd half. She produced her maiden century in the Twenty20 format off 61 balls with a boundary on the last ball off the 18th over bowled by Alex Hartley.

The southpaw got out in the penultimate over but her side needed only two more runs to win from ten balls. Mandhana got good support from West Indian all-rounder Stafanie Taylor (33* off 34) as they shared a 105-run stand for the 3rd wicket. With this 102-run knock, Mandhana registered the highest individual score by an Indian in Women’s Twenty20 format. Mithali Raj scored an unbeaten 100 for Railways against Hyderabad during the 2016/17 Senior Women’s T20 League.

Interestingly, Mandhana once held the Indian record with her unbeaten 96 for her state team Maharashtra in 2013. Her 61-ball century is the fastest among three centuries recorded in KSL thus far. Her ton is the first of this season as both the previous KSL tons were recorded during the 2017 season. Suzie Bates scored an unbeaten 119 for Southern Vipers against Loughborough Lightning bringing up her ton in 63 balls. Five days later, Rachael Priest scored a 64-ball century during her knock of 106* in a run-chase for Western Storm against Yorkshire Diamonds.

Highest individual scores by Indians in Women’s Twenty20 cricket:

(Stats as on August 3, 2018)

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