Harmanpreet Kaur becomes 5th Indian woman to play 100 ODIs

Indian batswoman Harmanpreet Kaur on Sunday achieved a big milestone when she took the field in the first ODI against South Africa in Lucknow. She became the fifth Indian woman cricketer to represent India in 100 One Day Internationals.

She joined Mithali Raj (210), Jhulan Goswami (183), Anjum Chopra (127) and Amita Sharma (116) in the elite list of players who have played 100 or more ODIs.

The Indian ODI vice-captain has scored 2,412 runs in 100 matches, with an unbeaten knock of 171 as her highest score. She also has three centuries to her credit.

In the ongoing first ODI, South Africa Women won the toss and elected to bowl. Harmanpreet scored 40 runs off 41 balls, before being dismissed by Sune Luus. Her innings was laced with six fours.

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She stitched a 62-run stand with skipper Mithali Raj (50 off 85) which steadied the innings after India lost their first three wickets for 40 runs, including star opener Smriti Mandhana (14 off 20), who looked in sublime touch during her short stay.

Harmanpreet looked ominous but played one big shot too many to be caught at long-off. She smashed six boundaries in her entertaining knock.

Raj, who took some time to get going, then shared a 52-run partnership with Deepti Sharma (27 off 46) to keep the innings moving. As soon as Mithali (50) got to her fifty, she was sent back to the pavilion by Shabnim Ismail in the 38th over of the innings. Soon after Deepti (27) was also dismissed and this reduced India to 155/6.

The lower-order of India was not able to provide much resistance and as a result, the hosts were able to post just a total of more than the 175-run mark in the allotted fifty overs.

(With Agency Inputs)