Mackay, November 17

Smriti Mandhana today became the first Indian to hit a century in the Women’s Big Bash League with a record-equalling 114 not out but her splendid effort went in vain as her side Sydney Thunders lost the match.

Ironically, Mandhana could not pull off a winning six from the last ball off India T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur as Melbourne Renegades won the match by four runs to send Sydney Thunder out of reckoning for the final. Mandhana, who faced 64 balls, punished the bowlers with 14 fours and three sixes, equalling Australian batter Ashleigh Gardner’s highest individual score in WBBL history.

The left-hander took Thunder within one six of pulling off a remarkable victory, but was unable to hit the maximum required from Harmanpreet’s final delivery as her team finished at 171/2.

The defending champions needed an upset win to keep their slim final hopes alive, and they didn’t have an ideal start. However, finding a stable partner in Tahlia Wilson (38 not out off 39 balls), Mandhana posted her third fifty of the season off 33 balls. She shifted gears to take 24 runs in the 18th over but there was still work to do as 22 runs were needed in the final two overs. Renegades skipper Sophie Molineux conceded just nine runs from the 19th over and Mandhana was left to face the off-spin of her national skipper. Earlier, Harmanpreet top-scored for the Renegades with a 55-ball 81 not out. — PTI