SMRITI MANDHANA-SHAFALI VERMA CREATE HISTORY, PUT UP HIGHEST OPENING PARTNERSHIP IN WOMEN'S TESTS
India openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma on Friday created history, to build the highest-ever opening partnership of 292 runs in women's Tests. The duo thus surpassed the 241-run opening partnership by Pakistan's Sajjida Shah and Kiran Baluch against West Indies in Karachi in 2004. It was the second highest partnership in Women's Test for any wicket.
The record is held by Australia's Lindsay Reeler and Denise Annetts for the third wicket against England in Wetherby in 1987.
Shafali and Smriti thus went past their previous best opening partnership of 167 against England in Bristol in 2021. That was Shafali's debut Test, where she finished as the player of the match with scores of 96 and 63 as India drew the Test in a commendable effort.
In what was Shafali's last Test against Australia in December, she scored 40 and 4 in two innings and since then, has missed out on big milestones.
Mandhana and Verma eclipsed the previous highest Indian stand for any wicket, 275 by Poonam Raut and Thirush Kamini against South Africa in Mysore 2014.
Mandhana and Verma looked in ominous touch during their authoritative partnership, which ended after the former fell short of her 150 by a run after being dismissed by spin-bowling allrounder Delmi Tucker.
Related News |Shafali, however, became the fourth Indian after Mithali Raj, Kamini and Sandhya Agarwal to amass a 150-plus score.
At Tea, India Women were at 334/2 in 60 overs with Shafali batting on 165. Satheesh Shubha (15) was the second wicket to fall, while Jemimah Rodrigues was unbeaten on 1.
Satheesh, who made her Test debut against England last year but missed out on another Test against Australia due to an injury, was back to play at No. 3.
India are coming into the one-off Test after winning the three-match ODI series 3-0.
2024-06-28T10:20:33Z dg43tfdfdgfd