Watch: Smriti Mandhana scored a second consecutive century against South Africa today (June 19), equalling Mithali Raj's record for the most centuries scored in women's ODIs for India.
Mandhana followed up her 117 in the first game of the three-match series with an even bigger knock in the second. With India once again batting first, she opened the innings with Shafali Verma who fell for 20 off 38 balls just after the end of the powerplay. Both openers had struggled in the opening ten overs, particularly against Ayabonga Khaka, and India were 28-0 at the end of the powerplay, with Mandhana on eight off 29.
Struggling to break the shackles and on 19 off 40 at the end of the 17th, Mandhana finally eased some pressure with back-to-back fours off Nonkululeko Mlaba. As the innings neared the halfway point and India crossed the three-figure mark, Mandhana also brought up her half-century, having taken 67 balls to do so.
However, Mandhana had overcome the scoring pressure from earlier in the innings and boundaries were beginning to flow. She took two fours off Anneke Bosch in the 25th over before launching the first six of her innings off Sune Luus, punishing a full toss.
Now batting with captain Harmanpreet Kaur, the two quickly racked up a hundred partnership off 90 balls. In the over following the hundred-stand between the pair, Mandhana brought up her own three figures. A single off Luus completed her seventh ODI century, coming off 103 balls.
Most ODI hundreds for India
The second 50 off her innings came off just 33 deliveries. That milestone saw her draw level with Raj for the most scored for India in women's ODIs, and in the global charts it puts her level with Laura Wolvaardt, Sarah Taylor, Amy Satterthwaite and Stafanie Taylor in joint 10th position.
Mandhana went on to near 150 as India accelerated towards the back end of the innings. She and Kaur took 19 off one over from Luus and from the difficult start of their innings began to threaten to reach 300. In the 46th over, Mandhana struck a glorious drive over extra cover for four off Mlaba, but holed out to the fielder attempting the same shot from the next delivery. She finished on 136 off 120 balls, her highest ODI score.
Kaur went on to register her own century, off just 86 balls in a stunning display of aggression and power hitting. India finished on 325-3, having been 100-2 when Mandhana and Kaur came together at the end of the 23rd over.
Watch: Highlights of Mandhana's record-equalling century
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