Smriti Mandhana becomes fastest India batter to reach 4000 ODI runs

Star India women’s batter Smriti Mandhana recently scripted history as she became the fastest batter to reach 4000 runs in ODI cricket. Mandhana achieved the feat against Ireland women in the first ODI of the ongoing series in Rajkot. Scoring 41 runs in 29 deliveries in the run chase, Mandhana broke the record. 

It is worth noting that Mandhana achieved the feat in 95 innings to reach the milestone, zooming past former India skipper Mithali Raj to reach the feat, also becoming the first Indian woman to reach this feat in less than 100 innings.

As for overall statistics, Smriti is the third fastest woman behind Belinda Clark and Meg Lanning to reach 4000 ODI runs. Belinda Clark took 86 innings to achieve the feat, whereas Meg Lanning took 89 innings to reach 4000 ODI runs in their career. 

The bowlers did a really good job: Mandhana

Speaking of the game, Ireland came in to bat first and posted a total of 238 runs in the first innings of the game. Aiming to chase down the target, India women put in an excellent performance and managed to win the game by six wickets with Pratika Rawal scoring 89 runs, alongside Tejal Hasabnis adding 53* runs on the board. 

Talking about the game, skipper Smriti Mandhana took centre stage and admitted that the bowlers put in an excellent performance.

“To bowl on these sort of wickets, which have nothing in it, the bowlers did a really good job. Fielding is something we can get better at. Having good conversations in the last two or three days helped... the way they executed the slower balls and bouncers. Every game here on, we need to execute. Some things we need to do behind the scenes. Routine wise, every player has to follow it for the next seven-eight months,” Mandhana said in the post-match presentation ceremony.