Chennai: India Women’s Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma run between the wickets during a one-off test cricket match between India and South Africa, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, in Chennai, Friday, June 28, 2024. (Photo: PTI)
Indian pair of Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana on Friday recorded the highest opening partnership in women’s Test cricket, sharing a commendable 292-run stand on the opening day of the one-off Test against South Africa here.
Shafali and Smriti thus surpassed the 241-run opening stand by Pakistan’s Sajjida Shah and Kiran Baluch against West Indies in Karachi in 2004.
It was also the second highest partnership in Women’s Test for any wicket, behind the 309-run stand between Australian pair of LA Reeler and DA Annetts for the third wicket against England in Wetherby in 1987.
Shafali and Smriti thus went past their previous best opening stand of 167 against England in Bristol in 2021.
The duo thus also eclipsed the previous highest Indian partnership for any wicket — 275 by Poonam Raut and Thirush Kamini against South Africa in Mysore 2014.
The opening pair looked in ominous touch during their authoritative stand, which ended after Smriti fell short of her 150 by a run after being dismissed by Delmi Tucker.
Shafali, however, became the fourth Indian after Mithali Raj, Kamini and Snadhya Agarwal to amass a 150-plus score.
At Tea, India Women were at 334 for two in 60.0 overs with Shafali batting on 165. Satheesh Shubha (15) was the second wicket to fall.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
First Published: Jun 28 2024 | 4:55 PM IST
