3 times Smriti Mandhana threw away a great start with a run out

Smirti Mandhana has established herself among the stalwarts of Indian Women's cricket with her elegant and consistent batting performances while opening the innings.

Ranked in the top five of the ODI and T20I rankings for batters, the 27-year-old has been a model of consistency in her decade-long international career.

Mandhana is India's third leading run-scorer in ODIs, only behind Harmanpreet Kaur and Mithali Raj. The Mumbai-born batter has scored 3,179 runs at an average of almost 43 with five centuries and 26 half-centuries in 80 outings.

Her T20I record isn't far behind as she is behind Kaur in India's leading scorer honors, with 2,998 runs in 125 games. The consistent run has led to Mandhana winning the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year award in 2018 and 2021.

Despite the incredible numbers and accolades, the left-handed batter has been guilty of throwing her wicket away with a casual shot or lazy running between the wickets. There have also been instances of Mandhana being run-out, after getting herself well set on the field, a dismissal mode that frustrates a batter the most.

On that note, let us look at three times when Smriti Mandhana threw away a great start with a run-out.

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#1 74 vs. Australia, Only Test, 2023

Mandhana's dismissal provided Australia with an opening to sneak back into the game.

While run-outs are arguably the worst form of dismissal for a batter in any format, it is compounded further in Tests.

Considering the amount of time and the unlimited number of overs available, being run out in the red-ball format often irritates the batters. Unfortunately, Smriti Mandhana suffered the fate in the ongoing one-off Test against Australia at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

After restricting the Aussies to a below-par 219, the veteran opener raced away to a sensational 74 off 105 deliveries. Untroubled for most of her innings, Mandhana was on course to score a second Test century in six games.

However, casual running cost her dearly as she was run out in the 39th over while looking for a quick single. Mandhana marched down the track and sliced the good-length ball from off-spinner Ashleigh Gardner to the short third region.

Despite wanting the single, she was slow off her blocks, and Kim Garth's throw arrived at the nick of time. Gardner received the ball well and dislodged the bails at the non-striker's end to catch Mandhana just short of her crease.

Her dismissal reduced India to 147/3 and brought Australia back into the contest on the second morning.

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#2 74 vs. England, ICC Women's Championship 2014/16

Jenny Gunn was ecstatic after running Mandhana out at a crucial stage.

India's opening series of the inaugural edition of the ICC Women's Championship was a three-match series in England in 2014. With a top-four finish at the end of the two years cycle (2014-2016) ensuring direct qualification for the 2017 World Cup, Team India got off to the worst possible start at 13/2 in the opening ODI.

However, Smriti Mandhana, with skipper Mithali Raj, resurrected the Indian innings with a 64-run partnership for the third wicket. Despite wickets tumbling at the other end, the left-handed opener continued on her merry way to 74 off 98 balls.

Unfortunately, with seven overs left in a shortened 47-over contest, Mandhana was run out, courtesy of Jenny Gunn, and walked back to the pavilion. Her dismissal led to an Indian collapse as they finished on a paltry 193/8 in 47 overs.

In reply, England coasted to 153/3 in the 31st over and eventually won by 42 runs by the D/L method.

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#3 47 vs. Bangladesh, Women's Asia Cup 2022

A massive mix-up cost Mandhana her wicket against Bangladesh.

Team India started their 2022 Women's Asia Cup campaign by winning their opening three games before a surprising 13-run defeat against Pakistan.

Boyed by the loss, the Smriti Mandhana-led outfit immediately hit the ground running in the next fixture against Bangladesh. The openers, Shafali Verma and Mandhana, raced to 96/0 in the 12th over against the helpless Bangladesh attack.

Batting on 47 and looking good for plenty more, the skipper was involved in a terrible mixup with Shafali to be run out on the final ball of the 12th over. Shafali struck a delivery from Fahima Khatun straight to cover and set off, with Mandhana from the non-striker's end reaching halfway down the pitch.

Unfortunately, she was sent back and could not make her crease in time, leading to the partnership being broken four short of three figures.

Following the run-out, India's innings stalled to 159/5 in 20 overs, but the target proved too much to handle for Bangladesh as the Women in Blue emerged victorious by 59 runs.

India went on to win the tournament with Mandhana at the helm, defeating Sri Lanka in the summit clash.