Four months after hitting the fastest T20I fifty by an Indian woman off 25 balls, Smriti Mandhana smashed the joint quickest fifty in Women’s T20 off just 18 balls during a Kia Super League match between the Western Storm and Loughborough Lightning.
Mandhana equalled the record of New Zealand's Sophie Devine, set up in 2015 in Bengaluru.
Opening the batting for Western Storms, Mandhana slammed an unbeaten 52 off 19 balls, leading her side to 85 for 2 in a rain-curtailed six-over a side match at Taunton.
Mandhana, who is the first Indian to play in the Kia Super League, dominated the proceedings right from the start, opening her account with a six over long on. However, she got a reprieve in the first over when she was dropped on 7.
The left-hander did not look back after that, taking full charge of the innings along with opening partner Rachel Priest. The duo brought up the fifty for Western Storms inside four overs.
New Zealand’s Priest was dismissed for 25 and captain Heather Knight followed for a duck but Mandhana carried on her merry way, hitting four sixes and five fours in her 19-ball inning.
This was Mandhana's first half-century in the tournament with previous scores of 48 and 37 to her credit. She has a strike rate well over 200 – among the highest in the tournament.
In reply, the Lightnings fell short by 18 runs despite not losing a wicket in their chase. Sophie Devine top-scored with 46 off balls.