Watch: Smriti Mandhana took a wicket with her first over in international cricket by dismissing Sune Luus in Bengaluru.
Mandhana was coming off the back of a second consecutive century of the series in the first innings. She hit her highest ever ODI score of 136 off 120 balls to equal Mithali Raj's record of the most centuries for India in women's ODIs. Along with Harmanpreet Kaur who also scored a century, India posted 325-3, their highest score in a women's ODI in India.
Beginning their mammoth chase, South Africa got off to a difficult start when they lost Tazmin Brits in the powerplay. She was dismissed by ODI debutant Arundhati Reddy in the fourth over of the innings, her stumps castled. South Africa started to rebuild with Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch at the crease, and finished the powerplay with no further losses on 52-1. However, Deepti Sharma struck to dismiss Bosch for 18 in the 12th over of the innings, and just two overs later, Kaur called on Mandhana.
Mandhana has never bowled in any of her 222 matches for India, but has sent down a few overs in franchise cricket. She took her first wicket in the WBBL in the 2016-17 edition for Birsbane Heat, completing an over for Haidee Birkett after she was taken off for bowling two beamers. In the four balls left of the over Mandhana took the wicket of Georgia Wareham. She also bowled an over in the 2023 WPL for RCB.
Coming on to bowl her first over in international cricket, Mandhana struck with her second ball. Bowling medium pace off the wrong foot, she sent down a full delivery well wide of off stump to Luus, who attempted to cut. However, she got a top edge on the ball which wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh clung onto to give Mandhana her first international wicket.
Watch Smriti Mandhana take her first international wicket here:
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