‘Smriti Mandhana owning Pakistani women again’: Twitter erupts as Indian batter reaches fifty

Smriti Mandhana led the Indian Women’s cricket team as they dominated the proceedings against arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday, during their Commonwealth Games 2022 match in Edgbaston. Chasing a target of 100 runs, Mandhana scored a brisk fifty in 31 balls. 

The Indian women’s team lost their first CWG 2022 match against Australia, and in order to qualify from their group, the Indian eves were under pressure to win against their arch-rivals and they had to win big in order to also boost their NRR (Net Run-Rate). 

Indian openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma put up a 61-run stand and while Shafali was dismissed in the sixth over of the Indian innings, after scoring just 10 runs, Mandhana would go on to score a crucial fifty in a must-win game for India. 

READ| ‘Got goose-bumps when Neeraj Chopra won’: Smriti Mandhana on Indian women’s team going for gold in CWG

Netizens meanwhile were thrilled with the Indian batter’s performance, as she helped India to an 8-wicket win over Pakistan. 

Here’s how netizens reacted:

Smriti Mandhana Owning Pakistani Women Team Again and Again #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/fpazq8P1mB
— Ritika Malhotra (@FanGirlRohit45) July 31, 2022

Smriti Mandhana.

Such a classy & clear ball hitter.

All times Favourite pic.twitter.com/4QZfWDDajF

— Zia Shehzad (@kircutexprt) July 31, 2022

For sheer elegance of batting, there are few who can match Smriti Mandhana. Women’s or men’s cricket.
— Vikram Chandra (@vikramchandra) July 31, 2022

Smriti Mandhana completes 55 runs in 35 balls as India toys with Pakistan,heading for a easy win which will improve their Net Run Rate #CWG2022 pic.twitter.com/sjSnRqXErY
— Antiset (@AntiSethi) July 31, 2022

I know people here don’t like such comparisons but watching Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma open is like watching Ganguly and Sehwag opening in ODIs. So many similarities. #CricketTwitter #PAKvIND
— Cricketologist (@AMP86793444) July 31, 2022

Not a first time we have seen a player wears number 18 jersey fcked Pakistan team in T20I match while chasing…

Virat Kohli Smriti Mandhana

#INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/7jESp5ybG6
— The Cricket Followers (@cricfollowers_1) July 31, 2022

50 off 31 balls – Smriti Mandhana, what a player! #PAKvIND pic.twitter.com/CSUdalunIZ

— (@Hamza_Sheikh17) July 31, 2022

Mandhana’s unbeaten 63-run effort helped India to their first win at Commonwealth Games 2022. Sneh Rana and Radha Yadav also starred for the Indian eves with two wickets each. 

India moved to the top of group-A with their victory, but Australia Women and Barbados Women face off later on Sunday.