Indian women's cricket team scripted history after posting 525 runs on Day 1 of a one-off Test against South Africa in Chennai on Friday, June 28. Shafali Verma scored a double ton and in-form Smriti Mandhana scored 149 to help India break various records in women's Test cricket history.
India recorded the highest-ever team total in a day of both the men's and women's Tests to create history at MA Chidambaram Stadium.
India also registered their highest-ever Test innings total after a gap of 22 years. India women's previous highest Test innings total of 467 against England in 2002 as they registered the joint third-highest total of 225. With six wickets in hand, India are tipped to break Australia's all-time record of a 575 total on Day 2 on Saturday.
Shafali Verman top-scored with 205 runs off 197 balls to become the only second Indian and tenth cricketer in the world to register a double ton in women's Tests. The young opener took just 194 balls to record the fastest double hundred in women's Test cricket history.
After choosing to bat first, Indian openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma added 292 runs for the first wicket to record the highest partnership for the opening wicket in women's Test cricket. Mandhana recorded her third century in her last four innings, after scoring two in ODIs against South Africa in Bengaluru.
Mandhana recorded her highest Test score after smashing 149 runs off 161 balls with the help of 27 fours and one six. Offspinner Delmi Tucker gave the Proteas women a breakthrough with Mandhana's wicket in the 52nd over but Shafali kept the hammering on to bring her maiden Test ton.
Shafali celebrated her first century by converting it into a double ton and became the only second Indian and tenth cricketer to register a double century in women's Test cricket history. Shafali missed out on Mithali Raj's record of 214 by just nine runs after losing her wicket on a run-out dismissal.
Jemimah Rodrigues also ended her poor run of form by scoring 55 runs off 94 balls. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and young wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh added an unbeaten 75 runs for the fifth wicket to power India to a 525/5 total in 98 overs.
India Women Playing XI: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Shubha Satheesh, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Sneh Rana, Renuka Thakur Singh, Rajeshwari Gayakwad.
South Africa Women Playing XI: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Sune Luus, Anneke Bosch, Marizanne Kapp, Delmi Tucker, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Masabata Klaas, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune.
