Highlights:
- On January 24th, India opening batter Smriti Mandhana won the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Award for the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year-2021.
- She scored 855 runs in 22 international matches at an average of 38.86 in 2021.
- She was in good touch in the series against Australia
Smriti Mandhana named ICC Women’s Cricketer of 2021:
India opening batter Smriti Mandhana has been named as the winner of Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of 2021. India played their limited-over series against South Africa, in which India has won just 2 of the 8 matches at home. Smriti Mandhana played a major role in both of the wins. She performed well in all format matches for India. She also impressed in a one-off Test match against England.
She commented on receiving the honour told ICC, “I am truly honoured for receiving the prestigious Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year 2021. I am grateful to my team-mates, my coaches, my family, friends and fans who believed in my potential and supported me in this journey.”
Smriti Mandhana – About:
Smriti Mandhana is an Indian Cricketer who plays for Indian Women’s national team. She was born on July 18th-1996 (25-years old). She is an opening batter, left-handed and right-arm off-break bowler. In June 2018, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) named her as the Best Women’s International Cricketer. In December 2018, the ICC awarded her with the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Award for the best female cricketer of the year. She became a nominee of the ICC Women’s T20 Player of the Year on December 30th-2021.
Smriti Mandhana – Scores:
Smriti Mandhana has scored 855 runs in 22 international matches at an average of 38.86 with one century and 5 half-centuries in 2021. She has scored 80 runs not out as India chased down 158 runs against South Africa in the second ODI that helped them level the series and scored 48 runs not out in the final T20I.
She played a sublime innings of 78 runs in the first innings of the match of the one-off Test against England that ended in a draw. She played an important knock-out match of 49 in India’s only win in the ODI series. She has scored 29 runs in 15 balls and 50 runs in the T20I series of final. India fell short in both the matches and lost the series 2-1.
Smriti Mandhana – A first pink-ball test:
Smriti Mandhana made India’s first-ever pink-ball Test even more memorable by smashing her maiden century in the longest format. She played her natural game to begin with, and scored a run-a-ball half-century, playing with caution under the lights.
She was caught on 80 runs, but was given a reprieve after Ellyse Perry overstepped. She made the most of the lifeline, reaching her first Test century in style with a boundary. Her innings finally came to an end at 127 runs, after putting India in a strong position. India’s maiden women’s day-night test match ended in a draw. The crowning piece in her run tally was a Player of the Match – winning maiden hundred in the longest format against Australia at Gold Coast.
“Keep Giving Your Best”: Sachin Tendulkar’s tweet message for Smriti Mandhana
Celebrating her achievement, former India batting great Sachin Tendulkar took to Twitter to share a special message for Mandhana.
