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Indian cricket star Smriti Mandhana, along with her family, offered prayers at the Tirupati Balaji Temple in Tirumala on Tuesday. This visit followed her exceptional performance in guiding India to a resounding 10-wicket victory over South Africa in a one-off Test match.
Mandhana showcased her batting prowess by reaching a century off just 122 balls, eventually scoring a career-best 149 runs off 161 balls, including 27 fours and a six. Alongside her, opener Shafali Verma contributed 205 runs, forming a formidable opening partnership of 292 runs on Day 1 of the red-ball match. This stellar performance put India in a commanding position, leading to a declared total of 603 for 6.
Smriti Mandhana Offers Prayers at Tirupati Balaji Temple
Despite South Africa’s efforts, including notable scores from Laura Wolvaardt (122), Sune Luus (109), and Nadine de Klerk (61), India maintained their dominance. On the final day, Nadine de Klerk’s resilient batting couldn’t prevent India’s bowlers from sealing the victory. Sneh Rana’s impressive bowling, including ten wickets in the match, played a crucial role in India’s triumph.
With the Test and ODI series victories in hand, Harmanpreet Kaur’s Indian team is set to face South Africa in a three-match T20I series. The T20I series will take place at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai from July 5 to 9. Mandhana’s excellent form will be crucial as India looks to keep their winning streak going in the shorter format.
