Smriti Mandhana becomes fastest woman to reach 5000-run milestone in ODIs

Visakhapatnam, Oct 12 (IANS) Indian opener Smriti Mandhana on Sunday became the youngest and fastest player to reach 5000 runs in Women's ODI cricket, reaching the mark during the Women's World Cup match against Australia at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam.

The 29-year-old batter reached the milestone in her 112th Women's ODI match with a six off Kim Garth of Australia in the 21st over, breaking the record of Stafanie Taylor (WI), who reached 5000 runs in 129 matches.

According to ESPNCricinfo, the list of fastest to 5000 runs in Women's ODI is now led by Smriti Mandhana (112 matches) with Stafanie Taylor (WI) in 129 matches; Suzie Bates (NZ) in 136 matches; Mithali Raj (IND) in 144 matches and Charlotte Edwards (ENG)in 156 matches following suit.

The left-hander reached the mark while scoring 80 before she was caught at deep midwicket off Sophie Molineux. Mandhana blazed to 80 off 66 balls, slamming nine boundaries and three maximums. She started cautiously and then got into the attack mode after completing her fifty off 46 balls.

Mandhana, who has been in great form this season, scoring the most runs by any player in a calendar year (974), completed her first fifty of the 2025 Women's World Cup off 46 balls on Sunday.

However, she did not get off to a good start in the World Cup, managing only 54 runs in the first three matches. But she seems to have made up for some of those disappointments with a superb batting performance on Sunday, against an opponent she has always done well against.

Smriti had struck two centuries in scoring 300 runs in the three-match ODI series against Australia a few weeks before the World Cup.

--IANS

bsk/bc