India's Smriti Mandhana scripts world record

Mumbai: India's superstar cricketer Smriti Mandhana scored a century in a crucial match against New Zealand in the ICC Women's ODI World Cup. India must win today's match to secure a semi-final berth. Mandhana was dismissed for 109 runs in 95 balls, where she scored 4 sixes and 10 fours. She reached three figures in 88 balls.

She also created a world record in the match, achieving the feat of being the player who hit the most sixes in a calendar year in women's ODIs. She surpassed the record of South Africa's Liselle Lee (28 sixes). She made history by hitting her second six in the match, taking her total sixes so far this year to 30.

Mandhana has become the second-highest run-scorer in women's ODI cricket. The 14th century of the player's ODI career was scored at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. Former Australian player Meg Lanning is the first with 15 centuries. This is Mandhana's fifth century this year.

With another opener, Pratika Rawal, scoring a century, the Indian women are racing towards a good score against the Kiwis. Twenty-five-year-old Pratika Rawal has crossed the milestone of 1000 runs in ODI cricket. With this, she equalled Lindsay Reeler's 37-year-old record of being the fastest to complete 1000 runs in women's ODI cricket. Prathika, who made her debut against the West Indies in Vadodara last year, completed 1000 runs in 23 innings.

Three teams have already booked their berths for the semi-finals of the ODI World Cup - Australia, England and South Africa. There is a tough fight for the fourth birth. All three teams have equal chances. Apart from hosts India, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. Although India and the Kiwis have four points from five matches, India is far ahead in run rate. The Proteas women secured a place in the last four by winning five of the six matches they played. Australia and England had secured a semi-final berth with four wins each from five matches. Eight teams are participating in the tournament.