Indian opener Smriti Mandhana hammered the fastest T20I fifty by an Indian batswoman in the first T20I against New Zealand. Notably, she surpassed her own record. Mandhana blasted fifty off just 24 deliveries. Her previous record was reaching the fifty in 25 deliveries against England.
The Indian women team are chasing 160 runs in the T20I series opener in Wellington. India were 110 for three at the time of filing this copy. They require another 50 runs off 38 deliveries with seven wickets in hand. India women team had registered a 2-1 win in the three-match ODI series against the Black Ferns.
The dashing Indian player scored 58 runs off 34 deliveries with the help of seven fours and three sixes. She finished with a strike-rate of 170.58. She was in blazing form in the preceding ODI series as well. Mandhana was also the recipient of 2018 ICC 'Women's Cricketer' and 'ODI Player of the year' awards.