5 records broken by India Women on Day 1 of Chennai Test vs South Africa
India Women had a dominating start to the one-off Test match against South Africa on Friday (June 28) at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. They ended Day 1 at 525/4, with openers Shafali Verma (205) and Smriti Mandhana (149) emerging as the top run-scorers.
Coming in at No.3, Shubha Satheesh, who was playing in her second Test, contributed only 15. Thereafter, Jemimah Rodrigues (55) continued the team's momentum. Harmanpreet Kaur (42*) and Richa Ghosh (43*) remained unbeaten as India look to dominate the proceedings on the second day as well.
The day saw several records being broken by the Indian team. Let's take a look at the five of them:
#1 Highest opening wicket partnership in women's Test cricket
The India Women opening pair of Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana stitched a 292-run stand, which is now the highest opening wicket partnership in women's Test cricket. They went past the Pakistani duo of Kiran Baluch and Sajjida Shah, who put together 241 runs against West Indies in 2004.
Overall, Verma and Mandhana are second to the Australian duo of Denise Annetts and Lindsay Reeler, who are the record holders with a 309-run partnership back in 1987 against England.
#2 India Women accumulate the most runs in a day’s play in Women’s Tests
India Women etched their name into the history books by becoming the first team to score 500+ runs in a single day of a women's Test match.
Previously, an aggregate of 475 runs came at Christchurch in 1935, where New Zealand got bundled out for 44, and England scored 431/4 at the end of the day's play.
#3 Shafali Verma hit fastest double ton in women's Tests
Shafali Verma completed her double century off 194 balls, which is the fastest-ever in women's red-ball history. She bested Australia's Annabel Sutherland's 248-ball effort earlier this year against South Africa.
At 20 years and 152 days, she is now also the second youngest batter to score a double century in Women's Tests. Mithali Raj was the youngest at 19 years and 254 days old in 2002 against England at Taunton.
#4 Most sixes in a women's Test match
On only the first day, the game saw India Women hit a total of nine sixes, which is now the most in a women's Test match. The previous record was 6 - hit by India and England combined at Bristol in 2021.
Interestingly, Verma created history by slamming eight sixes, as no other woman batter had hit more than two maximums in a game.
#5 Shafali-Smriti became only the second pair of openers to hit hundreds in the same innings in women's Tests
With their terrific performances, Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana became only the second opening pair to score centuries in the same innings of a women's test match.
Before this, England's Charlotte Edwards and Laura Newton scored tons against New Zealand in 2004.