India batters Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana etched their name in the history books with a stellar opening stand during the first T20I against England on Saturday, June 28 at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. The duo got involved in a massive 77-run stand for the first wicket after England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt won the toss and opted to bat first.
It was the 21st fifty-plus stand between the Indian duo, the most by any pair in women’s T20Is surpassing Australia’s Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney, who have 20 such partnerships to their name. Mandhana and Verma have collectively scored 2713 runs from 78 innings at an average of 36.17 with three hundreds and 15 fifties to their names.
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The duo began the partnership in emphatic fashion as Smriti Mandhana got off the mark on just the second ball with a classy cover drive against Lauren Bell. The India stand-in captain further added two more boundaries to her tally in the second over. At the other end, Verma, who was making a comeback to the Indian team after eight months, collected her first four against Lauren Filer.
The opening batter also survived an early blow as she used DRS to overturn an on-field call after she was ruled caught out by the umpire despite the ball hitting her helmet instead of the bat. After getting the reprieve, Verma further collected another boundary on the last ball of the over.
In no time both batters launched an all-out attack against the England bowlers. Mandhana brought up the half-century stand off 37 balls as she welcomed Sophie Ecclestone into the attack with a massive six. The India captain further hit her for a boundary and a six to collect 19 runs from the over, the most Ecclestone has conceded in a single over.
Mandhana brought up her 31st half century off 27 balls as she cut Alice Capsey for a boundary through point. However, at the other end, Verma failed to capitalize on her start and was dismissed for 20 (22), caught at mid-off by Ecclestone.
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