Smriti Mandhana scores record 124 as India beats Hong Kong by 137 runs in Women's Asia Cup

Smriti Mandhana of India bats (Getty Images)

Smriti Mandhana produced a record-breaking knock as India stormed into the Women's Asia Cup semi-final with a 137-run win over Hong Kong on Thursday. The India opener smashed 124 off 64 balls, helping her side post 193 for five before Hong Kong were bowled out for 56 in 16.2 overs.Mandhana's century was her second in T20 internationals and made her the only Indian woman to achieve the feat. She also moved past Meg Lanning for the most international centuries in women's cricket, reaching 18 hundreds across formats. Later in the innings, she surpassed Mithali Raj to become the leading run-scorer in women's internationals. Despite the historic nature of her innings, Mandhana admitted she was unaware of the records she had broken. "I didn't know all of this happened," Mandhana said after being informed about her record-breaking effort. Asked who she would dedicate the century to, the Player of the Match said her family remained closest to her heart. "I don't have anyone in mind who I would like to dedicate, but definitely, my family." Mandhana also explained how she approached the Hong Kong attack, having never faced the opposition before. "We’re not really aware of (the opposition). We had seen a few videos, but not really aware. We’re playing them for the first time, so when you come against a bowler who you don’t know a lot, you have to just forget that you’ve played whatever cricket. You just have to go, watch the ball, and I think it was more about just adjusting to the pace." The left-hander initially took some time to settle before accelerating alongside Shafali Verma, who scored 28 off 17 balls. Mandhana eventually struck seven sixes and 14 boundaries, making batting look effortless despite the surface not being particularly easy for strokeplay. She was also asked about missing out on some full tosses during the powerplay and admitted that such deliveries are not necessarily her strength. "I would say that full tosses are not my strength (laughs). I’m happy that I could get away with a few of the full tosses today. I think any top-order batter would say that sometimes full tosses can go for a six, or you can get out."

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Mandhana had earlier acknowledged Hong Kong's disciplined bowling, particularly during the powerplay. "It's really hard for me to play slower bowlers, but credit to them. They were really disciplined in the powerplay. They bowled pretty well, and the kind of energy they showed was something which we all can learn from. Having said that, I just love batting, and I'm happy that I could contribute." India secured their second win in as many matches and will face Pakistan on Saturday.

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