"Goddess of the offside": Twitter in awe after Smriti Mandhana hits pink-ball Test century
Smriti Mandhana achieved a series of milestones when she hit her maiden pink-ball Test century. It came on Day 2 of India Women's Day-Night match against Australia Women in Carrara. She became the first Indian woman to hit a century in a pink-ball Test and the first Indian woman to hit a Test ton on Australian soil.
Mandhana hit 22 boundaries and one six in her stunning knock of 127 off 216 deliveries. It helped put India Women in a good position after being put in to bat by the hosts.
Social media erupted in praise for the elegant left-hander, with former India opener Wasim Jaffer even terming her the "Goddess of the offside."
Here are some reactions to Mandhana's masterclass:
The Goddess of the offside.
Congratulations on your maiden test hundred @mandhana_smriti. First of many. Well played 👏🏻 #AUSvIND https://t.co/nS6am012nL
A 💯 is always special in cricket. A firstTest hundred even more. And when it comes in Australia as your country's first in the historic #PinkBallTest , words can't do justice @mandhana_smriti 🎉 so proud of #SmritiMandhana https://t.co/qfkLNeTeAw
First-ever Indian woman to score 💯 in a pink-ball Test! 😍
Take a bow, Smriti Mandhana! 🙌
📷: BCCI #AUSvIND #AUSWvINDW https://t.co/TNOtpRXniv
A test hundred on Australian soil from @mandhana_smriti. Goosebumps. https://t.co/u7tgfJSWVp
45.2 Caught off a no-ball 👻
51.5 Raises her first ever Test century 👏
A momentous and rollercoaster day for Smriti Mandhana 🎢
📺 Watch the match live on ICC.tv in select regions!
🧮 Match centre | bit.ly/AUSvIND-Test https://t.co/VYtKzCysnp
Smriti Mandhana - first Indian women cricketer to score a Pink Ball Test ton. What a knock, what a class. https://t.co/9K5Y4bXExB
Smriti Mandhana gives India good start with stellar knock
Smriti Mandhana got India Women off to a flyer as she hit the Australian bowlers for boundaries all around the ground. She brought up her half-centuries off just 51 deliveries before slowing down once the spinners came on.
She put on partnerships of 93 and 102 runs respectively with Shafali Verma (31) and Punam Raut (36). Mandhana brought up her century in the 52nd over, hitting two rapid boundaries to go from 93 to 101, racing through the proverbial 'nervous nineties'. She was eventually caught at cover by all-rounder Tahlia McGrath off Ashleigh Gardner, leaving India at 195/2.
Raut and India captain Mithali Raj put on 22 before the former was caught behind off Sophie Molineux. Raut showed a moment of great sporting spirit when she walked despite the umpire giving her a not out after a muffled appeal from the hosts.
India Women were 217/3 when Raut fell to Molineux and moved to 231/3 at Dinner on Day 2.
Smriti Mandhana became the second Indian to score a day-night Test ton after Virat Kohli achieved the feat against Bangladesh in 2019. Hers was also the first overseas day-night Test century by an Indian.