[Watch] Flurry of boundaries in the final over helps Harmanpreet Kaur slam sensational hundred in IND-W vs SA-W 2nd ODI

Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur timed her acceleration to perfection as she smashed her sixth ODI hundred in the second game of the ongoing series against South Africa in Bengaluru on Wednesday, June 19. The right-hander finished her innings unbeaten on 103 off just 88 balls.

Harmanpreet was on 88 off 84 with just four deliveries left in the Indian innings and had to play some big shots against left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba to get to her hundred. She did that by plundering 14 runs off the next three balls.

Harmanpreet Kaur first cut a delivery behind the point region for a boundary and then smartly anticipated a fuller delivery, depositing it over cow corner for a maximum. Mlaba then pulled her length back just a bit and Harmanpreet was ready to pounce on it as she smashed it through the covers to bring up her hundred off 87 deliveries.

Here's the video:

In an innings with nine fours and three sixes, Harmanpreet also showed the importance of running hard between the wickets. She ensured the hosts got to a mammoth total of 325/3 in their 50 overs.

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Hundreds from Smriti Mandhana & Harmanpreet Kaur put India in a strong position

It was a watchful start for India's star opener Smriti Mandhana as she couldn't score a run off her first 18 balls. However, after seeing off the initial tricky phase, the elegant left-hander came into her own and began to score boundaries almost at will.

Harmanpreet Kaur joined Mandhana in the middle at the fall of the second wicket and played the role of an ideal foil, allowing the southpaw to express herself. Back-to-back ODI hundreds for Mandhana meant that the Women in Blue had a solid platform to explode. That is exactly what Harmanpreet did to give the hosts a genuine chance to seal the series.

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