Twitter salutes Smriti Mandhana for smashing the fastest fifty in Kia Super League

The Kia Super League is currently taking place and has been a witness to some riveting encounters. The Western Storm and Loughborough Lightning played the ninth match of the event. The Lightning, led by English all-rounder Georgia Elwiss entered the contest as the top-ranked team. Their opponents, captained by Heather Knight, previously lost one out of the two matches.

The contest was expected to be a thriller, however, rain threatened to play spoilsport. Just when it seemed that the encounter was set to be abandoned, the heavens calmed down and a six-over match was put in place. The Lightning won the toss and elected to field first. However, the Storm went hammer and tongs from the outset and racked up 85 runs for the loss of two wickets.

Mandhana roars along

Smriti Mandhana, the Indian batswoman, opened the batting with Rachel Priest, the New Zealand cricketer and didn’t let the bowlers settle. Both racked a partnership of 71 runs from five overs after which the Lighting captain broke the stand by dismissing Priest. Mandhana, on the contrary, scored 52 from 19 balls with five boundaries and four whacks over the ropes.

She opened her account with a six off left-arm seamer Linsey Smith in her very first delivery. In the second over, she smashed Gunn for a boundary. Nevertheless, in the last three overs, the left-hander notched 31 runs from 10 balls. She plundered 15 runs from four deliveries in the fourth over from Kirstie Gordon and then smacked a couple of boundaries off Elwiss in the penultimate over.

Mandhana laid into Smith in the last over and deposited her over the ropes to bring up her half-century in 18 balls which also turned out to be the fastest in the history of the tournament. She also became the joint-fastest batsman to score a half-century in Women’s T20s. In the meantime, Twitter was all praises for the exhibition of strokeplay put forth by the swashbuckling batswoman from Maharashtra.

Here is how Twitter reacted

Watching @mandhana_smriti putting bowlers to the sword here at Taunton. She is brilliant to watch. Great ambassador and great skill

— Kumar Sangakkara (@KumarSanga2) July 29, 2018

Smriti Mandhana has been an unbelievable signing @WesternStormKSL

— Alex Horn (@alexhorn1) July 29, 2018

Smriti Mandhana notches up the Fastest KSL 50. Took her just the 18 balls to get there

— Abhay (@ImAbhay3) July 29, 2018

Smriti Mandhana now holds the record for Fastest fifty in Kia Super League off just 18 balls. Rachel Priest scored a fifty off 22 balls during the last season. #KSL2018

— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) July 29, 2018

Smriti Mandhana – who was her coach? Virender Sehwag? 😉 #KSL2018 #bbctms

— David Wallace (@JackFleet37) July 29, 2018

Smriti Mandhana doing bits 🔥

— rdeeॐ (@_depalaa) July 29, 2018

Smriti Mandhana just scored the fastest fifty in Kia Super League. pic.twitter.com/CkZJBUziHM

— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) July 29, 2018

Congratulations to @mandhana_smriti. In a game shortened to 6 overs, she gets a half century in just 18 balls for @WesternStormKSL. It is also the quickest 50 in the Kia Super League. pic.twitter.com/KwtgXsuvQ4

— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) July 29, 2018

In #KSL2018 Smriti Mandhana has hit 48, 37 & 52 – 137 runs off 60 balls – a Strike Rate of 228.

— CRICKETher 🏏 (@crickether) July 29, 2018

Most sixes in the Kia Super League:

• 2016: Stafanie Taylor – 9
• 2017: Rachel Priest – 9
• 2018: Smriti Mandhana – 11* (after 3 innings…)#KSL2018

— Isabelle Westbury (@izzywestbury) July 29, 2018

@WesternStormKSL Has scored 85-2 in 6 overs comprising @mandhana_smriti joint fastest 50 in WT20 ,Can @LightningKSL can show a good show today, waiting to see @WesternStormKSL bowling. #StormTroopers #KSL2018

— Smriti Mandhana FC (@smriti18fc) July 29, 2018