New Delhi [India], September 20 : Australia's flamboyant star Beth Mooney's reign with the joint second-fastest ton didn't last long, as India's Smriti Mandhana cantered to the three-digit figure to set a new record during the final fixture of the three-match series at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, here in the national capital on Saturday.
India's batting wizard Virat Kohli was at the summit of the fastest ODI century for India, following his 52-ball effort against Australia in Jaipur in 2013. However, his reign ended after 12 years at the hands of Mandhana by walloping a century in a mere 50 balls, the fastest among men's and women's ODIs.
During India's pursuit of the 413-run target, Mandhana engineered a batting masterclass and bettered Mooney's feat after storming to the landmark moment in 50 deliveries. The rollicking display is the fastest by an Indian and overall the second-fastest after Australia opener Meg Lanning, who is at the top with a 45-ball ton against New Zealand in 2012.
In the first innings of the third ODI between India and Australia, talismanic batter Mooney hammered the joint second-fastest ton in women's ODIs after her swashbuckling display. She upped the ante and blazed her way to the three-digit mark in 57 balls, levelling former Australian cricketer Karen Rolton's record for the second-fastest ton in women ODIs. However, in the next couple of hours, she slipped to third, courtesy of Mandhana's blitzkrieg.
The sizzling performance was Mandhana's fourth ton in the ongoing calendar year, and this is the second time she has orchestrated it after her exploits last year. Mandhana has 13 ODI centuries, the joint second-highest alongside New Zealand's Suzie Bates and two shy of Lanning's tally of 15. In the second ODI, she clobbered 117 in 91 deliveries, which laid the platform for India's imposing 102-run win. It is the second time she has thwacked back-to-back centuries, with the first instance occurring in 2024. She is the first Indian to achieve the feat twice.
While Mooney savoured her sublime outing with the bat, right-arm pacer Arundhati Reddy and Renuka Singh licked their wounds after conceding the most runs for India in the ODIs. With the series hanging in the balance at 1-1, Australia moved on from its dreadful outing with the bat in the second ODI, during which they packed their bags on 190 in 40.5 overs.
The tone was set by the opening pair, with captain Alyssa Healy dazzling with a quick-fire 30(18) and Georgia Voll clobbering Indian bowlers with her swift 81(68). Ellyse Perry played a starring role after notching a composed 68(72) to set the stage for Mooney to express herself.
India's bowlers were bashed all over the park, but Reddy and Renuka were pummelled the most. Reddy scythed three wickets but leaked 86 runs in her 8.5-over spell, the second-highest in ODIs for India. Meanwhile, Renuka scalped two in her nine-over spell but conceded 79 runs, the third-most for India in the format.
Australia capitalised on the super-fast outfield and India's bizarre field placements, bowling strategies, and misfields. If it wasn't a late, unprecedented batting collapse, Australia was en route to carving the record for the highest total in women's ODIs.
With 60 fours and five sixes in 287 deliveries, it was almost a boundary after every fourth delivery. With a combined batting effort from the top five batters, Australia blazed its way to 412, their highest against India.