Two Indian top T20I batswomen Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana shined on Sunday (December 10) in their respective matches in the 2018/19 Women’s Big Bash League. Both recorded quick half-centuries in their respective matches and played the crucial roles for their teams’ victories.
Smriti Mandhana completed half-century in 24 balls and scored 69 off 41 balls’
First, the Hobart Hurricanes women’s opener Smriti Mandhana completed the second fastest half-century in WBBL history after completing it in 24 balls against Melbourne Stars Women at Burnie. The 22-year-old left-handed played a crucial knock off 69 off 41 balls (13 fours) that helped her team to put a massive total of 196/6 (20 overs) on the board.
After her opening partner Erin Fazackerley lost the wicket in the very first over of the game, Mandhana had a 104-run partnership with Hayley Matthews (42 off 30 balls) for the second wicket and it massively helped to build up a good total on the board.
In reply, Melbourne Stars was bundled out for just 124 runs (16.5 overs). Apart from the opener Angela Reakes (31) and middle-order batter Annabel Sutherland (23), none of their batswomen reached the 20-run marks while only the two others played the double-digit knocks.
Among the Hobart bowlers, Heather Knight (3/10) played a massive role for the 72 runs victory. Mandhana won the Player of the Match award for her brilliant batting effort.
Harmanpreet Kaur completed half-century in 23 balls and scored 56 off 26 balls
Just a few hours later, Harmanpreet Kaur became the new second fastest half-century scorer in WBBL history. Playing at no.3 for Sydney Thunder Women against Brisbane Heat Women at Sydney, Kaur completed her half-century in just 23 balls and shifted Mandhana’s latest record to the third position in the fastest half-century scorer list in WBBL history.
The 29-year-old right-handed batswoman Kaur played an important knock of 56 runs off 26 balls (6 fours and 3 sixes) and it helped her team to manage a big total of 192/4 (20 overs) on the board. The openers Rachel Priest (49 off 28 balls) and Rachael Haynes (36 off 34 balls) had a brilliant 89-run partnership before both lost their wickets in two consecutive deliveries. Since then, Kaur stretched that innings before losing her wicket in the last over of that innings.
In reply, Brisbane Heat fell 28 runs short from the hosts’ total as they were bundled out for 164 runs (18.5 overs). Despite the opener Grace Harris played a crucial knock of 54 off 28 balls, most of the batters failed to provided strong fights in that innings.
Among the Sydney bowlers, Stafanie Taylor (3/23) and Maisy Gibson (3/18) both scalped three wickets each while Kaur (1/26) also picked up one wicket in that innings. At the end of the match, Kaur was awarded the Player of the Match for her brilliant match-winning all-round performances.
Top fastest half-centuries in the history of Women’s Big Bash League 
