India Breaks Record For Highest Total in Women's Test Cricket
The Indian women's cricket team registered an emphatic victory over South Africa in the one-off Test match played at Chennai recently. Powered by spectacular performances from the openers and a fighting half-century from the captain, India posted the highest total in women's Test history by declaring their first innings at 603/6. This surpassed the previous record set by Australia earlier this year.
Openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma got the team off to a blazing start with a 292-run partnership, creating a new record for the highest opening stand in women's Tests. Verma was especially aggressive and brought up her double century with some powerful hitting all around the ground. Her score of 205 was the second fastest double ton in women's Tests and included as many as eight towering sixes.
Despite losing wickets at regular intervals later on, the middle order ensured runs continued to flow. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur provided stability with a well-compiled fifty. Her fifth wicket partnership of 143 with wicket-keeper Richa Ghosh proved instrumental in taking the team to an mammoth total.
The vast runs margin placed South Africa under immense pressure in their chase. India will look to bowl them out cheaply and register an emphatic victory to complete a perfect all-round showing in the historic one-off Test. The team's dominance with both bat and ball against the visiting side has taken women's cricket in the country to new heights.
