On a sweltering Colombo afternoon, Indian women's cricket team opener Smriti Mandhana appeared to play a storm single-handedly. What she did when she stepped out to bat first in the final of the tri-series against Sri Lanka was not only a batsman's performance, but a flawless art. She delivered a breathtaking innings of 116 runs on 101 balls and brought the team to a mountainous score. Her bat produced 15 wide boundaries, and a strike rate of 115! On the back of this innings, India's average per 50 overs was a humungous mountain of 342 runs.
That is not a final match but a befitting testimony to the recent progress of the Indian women's cricket team. Mandhana's innings has so reached personal heights that it has become the fulcrum for the success of the team. Because of this century, she now holds the third position of being the highest scorer of the world women's cricket. She has now 11 centuries abroad – only Australia's Meg Lanning (15) and New Zealand's Suzie Bates (13) stand above her. It is certainly a source of pride to have such an Indian name in this list.
Though, the beginning was not smooth. Pratik Rawal and Smriti Mandhana began. Rawal began aggressively, scoring 49 runs off just 30 deliveries, but later lost her wicket to a wrong shot. But Mandhana never lost patience. Rather, with her maturity and experience in batting, she single-handedly carried on the innings. Just like she kept Sri Lanka's bowlers in pressure by hitting boundaries, she continued to keep the scorecard ticking with single scores.
Mandhana's innings was one of responsibility, temperament and intrigue. Drive, occasionally, cut – there was a sense of control and confidence in every stroke. None of the Sri Lankan bowlers were able to get underneath her. That was accompanied by Harmanpreet, Jemima, Dolan–who added to the partnership and kept the team's run rate intact.
The Indian team has only replaced one player in the team for today's final. Medium pacer Kranti Gowda has been given an opportunity in the absence of Suji Upadhyay. Experts opine that being given this opportunity will give a fillip to the confidence of the young Gowda. In contrast, the Sri Lankan team has come onto the field with pressure. Without all-rounder Kavisha Dilhari, who is out with illness, their batting as well as bowling unit is short. Pumi and Inoka played instead, but they were not able to halt Mandhana in that manner.
Sri Lanka batted out and was put on the back foot from the start. As per the latest updates, they have scored 76 runs in 15 overs, two wickets down. The target is huge, and India's pace and spin attack is very strong. Rajeshwari Gaekwad, Poonam Yadav, Deepti Sharma were eagerly waiting to prove their prowess.
This series has shown that the performance of the Indian team is now consistent and competing. Winning three matches out of four, the confidence of the team is at its best. This win is not only the final match of the series, but the key to a future that's long-lasting. The Indian women's cricket team is no longer coming on the field to play in the competition, they are coming to win.
Smriti Mandhana's performance has unveiled the face of present-day Indian women cricket - hard practice, strategic thought and focus. Not just playing shots on the ground, but every single run, every single partnership conceals the tale of a team's triumph.
Till now, there was some uncertainty about the Indian women's cricket team at the international level, but now that day has changed. Under the leadership of Harmanpreet, with the bat of Smriti, and the bowling of Deepti-Rajeshwari, the team is now very mature. And this innings of the tri-series final is like the beginning of a new day from Smriti Mandhana's bat.
Currently, cricket fans are praying for just one thing - India winning the series by converting this huge score well. And this Smriti Mandhana performance will not be forgotten in the history of women's cricket for a very long time. Because every century is not a run, it becomes a reflection of a player's confidence, commitment and ambition.
Witnessing such a performance by India, all the teenage cricketers back home can now aspire. They can dream - yes, I too can achieve it someday. This is the inspiration, this is the true success.
