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Smriti Mandhana proved to be India's best performer in their five-run win in Match 18 of the ongoing Women's T20 World Cup over Ireland on Monday (February 20). The 26-year-old came up with a match-winning knock of 87 off 56 balls and guided India into the semi-finals of the tournament.
After opting to bat first, India got off to a decent start on the back of a 62-run opening partnership between Mandhana and Shafali Verma. However, following Verma's dismissal, the Irish bowlers kept it tight.
Mandhana was the only Indian batter to look in sumptuous touch, smashing nine boundaries and three sixes on her way to a fabulous 87-run knock.
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However, this wasn't the first time Mandhana seemed a class apart for India in a multi-national tournament. On several occasions, she has come up with clutch knocks that have not only helped India's cause but have solidified her ever-growing status as one of the best women's batters going around at the moment.
On that note, let's take a look at five times when Smriti Mandhana stepped up for India in the ICC tournaments.
#1 83 vs Australia, ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2018
At the T20 World Cup in the West Indies in 2018, India were on a roll before they faced a semi-final exit. Smriti Mandhana churned out runs for fun in the tournament, scoring 178 runs to end up as the third-highest run-scorer, behind only Harmanpreet Kaur (183) and Alyssa Healy (225).
The left-handed batter delivered another knock for the ages in India's final group-stage game against Australia. Batting first, India lost Taniya Bhatia in the second over before Jemimah Rodrigues fell after the powerplay to leave India in a spot of bother at 49-2.
However, Mandhana's 83 in 55 balls, alongside Harmanpreet's 27-ball-43 carried India to a total of 167-8. No other batter in the Indian lineup managed to score double-digit runs in that innings. Her half-century earned her Player of the Match award and also helped India to a 48-run victory.
#2 90 vs England, ICC Women's World Cup 2017
India kicked off the 2017 World Cup with a statement win by defeating the hosts, England, by a margin of 35 runs. A 20-year-old Smriti Mandhana led the way with her blazing knock of 90 from 72 deliveries to set the tone for India.
With enough support from Punam Raut, and Mithali Raj also chipping in, the Women in Blue managed to post a daunting total of 281/3 on the board.
The left-hander's elegant strokeplay and the intent with which she batted was a breath of fresh air at the top of the order for India. She won the Player of the Match award to kick off the tournament, delivering on the biggest stage of them all at a young age.
#3 106* vs West Indies, ICC Women's World Cup 2017
Smriti Mandhana continued her dream run in the tournament for the second game running. After blowing away the hosts, she notched up a century in the next match against the West Indies. In another Player of the Match performance, she displayed immense maturity to take India over the line in a tricky run chase.
Chasing a target of 184, India got off to a rocky start with Punam Raut dismissed in the first over. Deepti Sharma was dismissed soon after, leaving the team stranded at 33-2 before Mandhana and Raj stitched together a 108-run stand to stabilize the run chase.
Smriti Mandhana scored an unbeaten 106 off 108 balls to take India home with a seven-wicket win with over seven overs to spare.
#4 123 vs West Indies, ICC Women's World Cup 2022
After defeating arch-rivals Pakistan in their tournament opener, India succumbed to defeat against the hosts New Zealand. With the margin for error pretty slim, the pressure was on the Indian side to bounce back against the West Indies and that's exactly what the team did. Needless to say, Smriti Mandhana was at the forefront of it.
After a steady start, India lost three quick wickets and stumbled from 49-0 to 78-3, losing Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, and Mithali Raj in quick succession. However, Mandhana and Kaur got together again to take the game away from the West Indies.
Both batters scored centuries with Mandhana scoring 123 off 119 deliveries while Kaur scored 109 off 107. The duo combined for a mammoth 184-run stand that helped India post 317-8 on the board, completely batting the opposition out of the game and giving India a win by a margin of 155 runs.
#5 87 vs Ireland, ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023
The latest entrant on the list, Smriti Mandhana's knock of 87 runs off just 56 balls displayed sheer dominance and grit for the southpaw.
In an innings where almost all her fellow partners failed to get going, the 26-year old's one-woman show proved to be enough for India to quash the Irish team. Although she was fortuitous as the Irish fielder dropped a couple of chances on the boundaries, Mandhana made full use of those chances and made sure the opposition paid for their mistakes.
After India had only 115 runs from 16 overs, the Mumbai-born batter unleashed her beast mode, tormenting the Irish bowling attack and taking India past the 150-run mark.
Due to rain, Ireland could only bat for 8.2 overs and score 54/2, resulting in a defeat by a slim margin of five runs courtesy of the DLS Method.
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