Today, July 18, marks a special day for Indian women’s cricket team star Smriti Mandhana as she turns 28. Since her debut in 2013, she has risen to become the vice-captain of the national team. Fans will get to see her in action again on July 19 when India takes on Pakistan in the 2024 Asia Cup.
Throughout her career, Mandhana has represented India in 7 Tests, 85 One-Day Internationals, and 136 Twenty20 Internationals, accumulating over 7,500 runs, including 54 half-centuries and 9 centuries. Notably, she is one of only two players, along with Australia’s Ellyse Perry, to have won the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year award twice (2018 and 2021).
Mandhana’s impressive achievements also include winning the gold medal at the 2023 Asian Games, where she played a crucial role in the final with a score of 46 runs. More recently, she led the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their first-ever title in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) earlier this year. In celebration of her 28th birthday, this article will highlight three of her most memorable moments from the WPL.
#3 Smriti Mandhana scores her maiden fifty in Women’s Premier League in 2024
In 2024, Smriti Mandhana finally achieved her first fifty in the Women’s Premier League after 11 attempts. Despite her struggles in the previous season, she came out strong in the seventh match of the 2024 season, scoring 74 runs off 43 balls, including 10 boundaries and three sixes, ultimately lost by 25 runs, Mandhana’s performance was a positive highlight.
Delhi Capitals Women’s Shafali Verma also scored a half-century, and Marizanne Kapp and Jess Jonassen contributed valuable cameos to their team’s total of 194 runs. Jonassen also took three wickets for Delhi in the match.
#2 A brilliant 80-run knock against UP Warriorz
In the 11th match of the 2024 WPL, the Royal Challengers took on the UP Warriorz, with Smriti Mandhana’s leadership setting the tone from the get-go. She unleashed a dazzling display of batting, amassing 80 runs from 50 deliveries, adorned with 10 boundaries and three maximums.
Ellyse Perry provided able support with a 37-ball 58, as RCB posted an imposing 198/3 in their 20 overs. In reply, Alyssa Healy’s valiant 55 from 38 balls was ultimately in vain, as the Warriorz fell 23 runs short of the target.
Mandhana’s stellar performance earned her the Player of the Match accolade.
#1 Guiding RCB to their maiden WPL title
Leading RCB to their inaugural WPL championship title, the team overcame the reigning champions Mumbai Indians Women in the Eliminator, setting the stage for a thrilling final against the Delhi Capitals.
After winning the toss, Meg Lanning elected to bat first, and Delhi got off to a strong start, reaching 64 without loss in the first seven overs. However, the introduction of Sophie Molineux in the eighth over turned the game on its head, as she claimed three crucial wickets, triggering a collapse that eventually saw Delhi dismissed for 113.
Shreyanka Patil was the pick of the RCB bowlers, taking four wickets. In response, RCB made light work of the chase, thanks to a solid foundation laid by Smriti Mandhana (31) and Sophie Devine (32), before Ellyse Perry and Richa Ghosh wrapped up the victory, securing RCB’s first-ever WPL title.