Shafali Verma scripts these records with double-ton versus South Africa
Indian women's cricket team opener Shafali Verma scripted history with a scintillating double-ton on Day 1 of the one-off Women's Test against South Africa at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The dasher tormented the Proteas bowlers before being run out for a career-best 197-ball 205, a knock laced with 23 fours and eight sixes. Here are the records she scripted during her stay.
Fastest double-ton in Women's Tests
Shafali completed her double-hundred off 194 balls, now the fastest in Women's Tests. She went past Australia's Annabel Sutherland who achieved the feat in 248 balls against South Africa earlier this year. She scored 210 in that match. Shafali and Sutherland are the only double-centurions against SA. The youngster also became the first batter to score 200-plus runs in a day's play (Women's Tests).
Second-highest partnership in Women's Tests
Shafali and her opening partner Smriti Mandhana (149) added 292 runs, the second-highest partnership in the history of Women's Tests. They are now only behind Australia's Denise Annetts and Lindsay Reeler, who added 309 runs against England in 1987. Thirush Kamini and Punam Raut (275 versus SA, 2014) are the only other Indian batters to record a double-century stand in Women's Tests.
Most sixes in a Women's Test innings
While the Indian ace smoked eight maximums during her stay, no other batter has even three sixes in a Women's Test innings. This was the third instance of Shafali scoring multiple sixes in a Test innings. No other batter owns this feat in more than one innings. Shafali remains the only Indian to hit more than one six in a Test innings.
Highest strike rate in a Test innings
Shafali became the first batter to score over 100 runs in a Women's Test innings at a strike rate of 100-plus (104.06). Mandhana trails Shafali in terms of strike rate in a Test innings (Minimum 100 runs). She struck a 92.54 during her 161-ball 149 in the aforementioned Chennai Test. No other batter has a strike rate of even 83 in this regard.
Second-youngest to get the milestone
At 20 years and 152 days, Shafali became the second youngest batter to score a double-century in women's Tests. She is only behind her compatriot Mithali Raj, who was 19 years and 254 days old at the start of the Taunton Test against England in 2002. She scored 214 in that game. No other Indian owns a double-century in Women's Tests.
