Chennai: Opener Shafali Verma's record-breaking double century and her formidable 292-run partnership with Smriti Mandhana helped India post a mammoth score of 525 for 4 on the opening day of the one-off women's Test against South Africa here on Friday.
On a day when records fell like nine pins, India broke the 89-year-old record of most runs scored in a single day by 94 runs. England Women scored 431/2 against New Zealand at Lancaster Park, Christchurch in 1935.
20-year-old Shafali completed her double century in just 194 balls, breaking the record of Australia's Annabel Sutherland, who achieved the feat in 248 balls in a Test against South Africa in February.
Soon after, Shafali was run out on 205 (197 balls). The previous best score of this young opening batsman in Test was 96 runs.
Shafali, playing her fifth Test, hit 23 fours and eight sixes during her historic innings.
Shafali also became the second Indian after former captain Mithali Raj to score a double century in Test cricket after a long time of almost 22 years. Mithali had scored 214 runs off 407 balls and the former India captain had achieved this during the drawn second Test against England at Taunton in August 2002.
Shafali's fellow vice-captain Mandhana, who played for most of her innings on Friday, also bettered her Test score of 127 by scoring 149 runs off 161 balls.
Jemimah Rodrigues contributed 55 runs. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur (42 not out) and Richa Ghosh (43 not out) were at the crease at the time of stumps.
Brief Score:
India's first innings 525 runs for 4 wickets in 98 overs (Shafali Verma 205, Smriti Mandhana 149, Jemimah Rodrigues 55, Harmanpreet Kaur 42 not out, Richa Ghosh 43 not out; Delmi Tucker 2/141).
On a day when records fell like nine pins, India broke the 89-year-old record of most runs scored in a single day by 94 runs. England Women scored 431/2 against New Zealand at Lancaster Park, Christchurch in 1935.
20-year-old Shafali completed her double century in just 194 balls, breaking the record of Australia's Annabel Sutherland, who achieved the feat in 248 balls in a Test against South Africa in February.
Soon after, Shafali was run out on 205 (197 balls). The previous best score of this young opening batsman in Test was 96 runs.
Shafali, playing her fifth Test, hit 23 fours and eight sixes during her historic innings.
Shafali also became the second Indian after former captain Mithali Raj to score a double century in Test cricket after a long time of almost 22 years. Mithali had scored 214 runs off 407 balls and the former India captain had achieved this during the drawn second Test against England at Taunton in August 2002.
Shafali's fellow vice-captain Mandhana, who played for most of her innings on Friday, also bettered her Test score of 127 by scoring 149 runs off 161 balls.
Jemimah Rodrigues contributed 55 runs. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur (42 not out) and Richa Ghosh (43 not out) were at the crease at the time of stumps.
Brief Score:
India's first innings 525 runs for 4 wickets in 98 overs (Shafali Verma 205, Smriti Mandhana 149, Jemimah Rodrigues 55, Harmanpreet Kaur 42 not out, Richa Ghosh 43 not out; Delmi Tucker 2/141).
