Smriti Mandhana marked her return to international cricket with a bang, adding another feather to her already illustrious cap during the first T20I against Sri Lanka Women at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. Mandhana’s knock, alongside Jemimah Rodrigues’ unbeaten 69, powered India to a comfortable eight-wicket victory.
After a tumultuous few weeks, during which her wedding was called off, Mandhana shifted her focus firmly back to cricket with the T20 World Cup slated for next year. In her comeback game, the India vice-captain scored a run-a-ball 25, during which she became the first Indian batter and the first from Asia to reach the milestone of 4,000 runs in Women’s T20I cricket.
Overall, Mandhana is only the second batter in history to cross the landmark, after New Zealand’s Suzie Bates, who tops the charts with 4,716 runs in 177 matches. The Indian opener now sits second on the all-time list with 4,007 runs from 154 appearances.
Earlier in the match, India, who had opted to field first, restricted the visitors to a modest 121 for six after the visiting batters struggled to put away the loose balls, even as dew made its presence felt earlier than expected. Opener Vishmi Gunaratne top-scored for Sri Lanka with a 43-ball 39, while Hasini Perera and Harshitha Samarawickrama chipped in with 20 and 21, respectively.
In response, Shafali Verma launched the India innings with three boundaries in the first over, while Mandhana took a more cautious approach. Following their dismissals, Rodrigues and captain Harmanpreet Kaur took over the job to take India through with as many as 32 balls to spare. The pair scored a 55-run stand to help the home side take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
The second game of the five-match series will be played at the same venue on Tuesday, before the caravan moves to Thiruvananthapuram for the final three games.
