Mandhana's majestic ton helps India post 292 against Australia in second women's ODI

Mullanpur (Punjab), Sep 17 (PTI) Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana hit the second fastest ODI hundred by an Indian woman batter to guide the home side to 292 all out against Australia in the second ODI of the three-match series here on Wednesday.

Asked to bat first, the left-handed Mandhana stole the limelight during her 91-ball 117-run knock which was studded with 14 boundaries and four hits over the fence.

Mandhana reached her hundred in 77 balls. She also holds the record for the fastest century by an Indian woman batter, which she hit in 70 deliveries in January this year against Ireland in Rajkot.

Mandhana and young Pratika Rawal (25) gave India a solid start, sharing 70 runs for the opening stand in 11.3 overs.

Rawal looked in good touch before spooning one to Georgia Wareham at cover off Ashleigh Gardner (2/39) in what was a soft dismissal.

Harleen Deol (10) and skipper Hamanpreet Kaur (17) got starts but failed to make it big.

Mandhana, on the other hand, meant business and was ruthless on anything pitched on her pads as more than half of her runs came through square of the wicket on the leg side.

She slog-swept Wareham deep midwicket for a six to bring up her half-century in just 45 balls and then followed it up with a four off the next ball.

Mandhana was particularly ruthless on Wareham, hitting the leg-spinner for two more boundaries and a six in her next over.

Mandhana brought up her majestic century in style, stepping out to hit a length ball from Tahlia McGrath over mid-off for a boundary. It was also the second fastest hundred by an Indian in women's ODI which came off 77 balls.

Her classy knock came to an end in the 33rd over, as she mistimed a McGrath delivery while trying to hit the bowler over the boundary, only to be holed out to Gardner at the midwicket fence.

After Mandhana'a dismissal, the scoring rate dropped a bit but Deepti Sharma (40 off 53) and Richa Ghosh (29 off 33) tried their best to keep up the pace.

The Indians were on course for a 300-plus total but slowed down after Mandhana's dismissal. The Indian lower middle-order failed to rise to the occasion with fast bowler Darcie Brown (3/42) doing the bulk of the damage.

Towards the end, Sneh Rana (24 off 18) played a good hand to take the score close to 300.

India had lost the series opener by eight wickets here on Sunday.

The third and final ODI will be played in New Delhi on September 20. PTI SSC SSC PDS PDS