Indian opener Smriti Mandhana continued her blazing form with the bat in the second ODI against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui to help India gain an unconquerable lead of 2-0 in the three-match ODI series. She made an unbeaten 90 off 83 balls with the help of 13 fours and a six. On the back of her innings, India chased down the modest total of 162 runs with 8 wickets in hand.
Mandhana was adjudged Player-of-the-Match. But on receiving the award, she said: “162 was a very easy total to chase. I will be giving this award to all the bowlers in the team. They deserve it for restricting New Zealand to 161 on such a good wicket.”
This beautiful gesture by Smriti Mandhana is quite reminiscent of Gautam Gambhir’s gesture for Virat Kohli after the former gave his Man-of-the-Match award to fellow Delhi and Indian batsman in 2009 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
Smriti Mandhana had also made a century in India’s first ODI win over the White Ferns. The Indian southpaw was 2018 ICC ‘Women’s Cricketer’ and ‘ODI Player of the year.’