The stylish left-handed opener and vice-captain of India’s women’s cricket team, Smriti Mandhana, has won the ICC Women’s Player of the Month Award for June, her first in her international career. She defeated Vishmi Gunaratne of Sri Lanka and Maia Bouchier of England to win this honor.
One of the best top-order batsmen in the world, the 27-year-old cemented her reputation with a stunning run during India’s triumph over South Africa in the ODI series in Bengaluru and then put up a superb performance in the Test match in Chennai against the same opponent.
The left-hander was irrepressible, amassing two hundreds and a 90-run knock in the three-match ODI series in Bengaluru and then recording an incredible hundred in the one-off Test match in Chennai against the same opponents.
Mandhana became India’s best run scorer in a bilateral series with 343 runs at an astounding average of 114.3 during the ODI series vs. South Africa. She also accomplished the historic feat of being the first Asian player to score more than 300 runs in an ODI series spanning three matches.
In the one-off test in Chennai, India defeated South Africa by a margin of ten wickets, thanks in large part to her innings. Mandhana and Shafali Verma collected 292 runs for the opening wicket in just 52 overs, with Mandhana finishing the innings with 149 off just 161 deliveries.
With this accomplishment, India surpassed the record for their biggest opening partnership in a women’s test match and achieved a first in women’s cricket history by scoring more than 600 runs.
After receiving the honor, Mandhana spoke with the ICC and said, “I’m glad to be named ICC Women’s Player of the Month for the month of June. I’m really happy with the way I think the team has performed and I’m happy to contribute for us, winning the ODI and the Test series. Hopefully we can continue our form, and I can even further contribute to win matches for India.”
