Congratulations poured in for Indian batter Smriti Mandhana after she scored joint fastest fifty on Sunday (29 July) in Women’s T20 while playing for Western Storm against Loughborough Lightning in the KIA Super League.
Mandhana took 18 balls to score the half-century and in the process equalled the record of the quickest women’s T20 half-century with New Zealand’s Sophie Devine. Smriti Mandhana also holds the record of the fastest T20 International century by an Indian woman player.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
You cannot scroll down without liking this.. 😍
When one legend Kumar Sangakkara met another Smriti Mandhana 😘😍😍 . pic.twitter.com/SGHTxrBrw6— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) July 29, 2018
Smriti Mandhana has been an unbelievable signing @WesternStormKSL
— Alex Horn (@alexhorn1) July 29, 2018
So, Smriti Mandhana bumped into Kumar Sangakkara after smashing the joint-fastest fifty in women’s T20s.
Of course, there’s nothing noteworthy in this tweet, expect their leg-stump guard has traditionally been the right-handed batsman’s off-stump guard.
Boring.
— Annesha Ghosh (@ghosh_annesha) July 29, 2018
Most sixes in the Kia Super League:
• 2016: Stafanie Taylor – 9
• 2017: Rachel Priest – 9
• 2018: Smriti Mandhana – 11* (after 3 innings…)#KSL2018— Isabelle Westbury (@izzywestbury) July 29, 2018
An incredible innings on KSL debut from Smriti Mandhana! 48 from just 20 balls. pic.twitter.com/g8j5kzMjqe
— Smriti Mandhana FC (@SmritiMandhana) July 22, 2018
Heartiest Congratulations to Smriti Mandhana on smashing joint-fastest half-century in women’s T20 cricket on 18 balls.#WomenPositivehttps://t.co/bixczpyTns
— All India Mahila Congress (@MahilaCongress) July 30, 2018
The cuteness overloaded.. Smriti Mandhana #CrushOfIndia pic.twitter.com/HKknKUl1jr
— Smriti Mandhana FC (@SmritiMandhana) July 29, 2018
Smriti Mandhana now holds the record for Fastest fifty in Kia Super League off just 18 balls. Rachel Priest scored a fifty off 22 balls during the last season. #KSL2018
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) July 29, 2018
#SmritiMandhana cracks down the record with her 50 from 18 and becomes the fastest women to hit in T20.Proud of you
Smriti Mandhana @mandhana_smriti #KSL2018 #KSL #StormTroopers pic.twitter.com/RvnuQU72K2— Smriti Mandhana FC (@smriti18fc) July 29, 2018
Fastest known fifties in Twenty20 cricket:
Yuvraj Singh & Chris Gayle in Men’s Cricket (12 balls)
Sophie Devine & SMRITI MANDHANA in Women’s Cricket (18 balls)#KSL2018 #WSvLL— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) July 29, 2018
HISTORY MADE:
Take a bow @mandhana_smriti!! #smritimandhana pic.twitter.com/6jRqEY8NE1— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) July 29, 2018
The beauty with talent Smriti Mandhana.. Heartthrob💓💝 of India🇮🇳 🏅 pic.twitter.com/mQyZfrB3Nh
— I🇳D🇮A🇳 Women Crℹcket🇮🇳🏏 (@womencricketIN) July 28, 2018
Smriti Mandhana notches up the Fastest KSL 50. Took her just the 18 balls to get there
— Abhay (@ImAbhay3) July 29, 2018
Whattttt an Inning dear @mandhana_smriti ..no word for this outstanding job👌👌
Simply u were looking today as Gayle+Pollard+Sehwag= Smriti Mandhana 👌 🇮🇳. All English were astonished at u how were u easily playing😱😱 52 in just 19 , 5*4 & 6&4@WesternStormKSL#smritimandhana pic.twitter.com/FizLLcwBuE— Munesh Yadav (@95MuneshYadav) July 29, 2018
Sophie Devine in 2015 had scored the fastest T20I fifty against India in Bangalore.
The 22-year-old opener is also first Indian to play in the KIA Super League (England’s flagship T20 tournament for women). Mandhana remained unbeaten at the score of 52 off 19 balls in a rain-hit match. During her innings, she hit 5 fours and 4 sixes and completed her half-century with a six.
Mandhana also holds the record of now fastest fifty in Kia Super League. Earlier in her debut match, Mandhana, against Yorkshire Diamonds, was just two runs short of scoring the fastest KSL fifty as she was dismissed at the score of 48 off 20 balls.
The prolific Indian batter, Mandhana has amassed 857 runs in 40 T20Is (with a high score of 76). Mandhana has scored 1,464 runs in 41 One Day Internationals (with a high score of 135).