Highest score by an Indian opener in WT20Is

While it is not an easy affair, every batter strives to score runs for his/her side on a global stage. Be it the fans or the members of the cricketing fraternity, everyone in the cricketing world sits up and takes heed of the batter’s skills and abilities when a player scores massive runs against world-class bowlers in any format of the sport. Everyone in the cricketing fraternity, whether they are fans or players, sits up and pays attention when a player scores significant runs against world’s best bowlers irrespective of the format of the game. In the Women’s T20Is for India, apart from former India skipper Mithali Raj, it is current India vice-captain who has more high scores to her name. In this piece we take look at the top three Highest score by an Indian opener:

3. Smriti Mandhana – 86 runs

Smriti Mandhana top-scored during a match against New Zealand when India toured the antipodean nation in 2019. In the third T20I match, though the White Ferns won the contest courtesy of Sophie Devine’s masterclass, India’s Smriti Mandhana scored her best knock with 86 runs in 62 balls which included 12 boundaries and one maximum.

2. Smriti Mandhana – 87 runs

Mandhana yet again makes it to the list as she got one more than the above score in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 against Ireland. The swashbuckling batter got 87 runs in 56 balls which propelled the side to score 155 runs. India eventually won the contest courtesy of DLS method coming into picture.

1. Mithali Raj – 97* runs

With an unbeaten knock of 97, Mithali has the highest score by an opener in the Indian side. In the Women’s Twenty20 Asia Cup held in Kuala Lumpur, India locked horns with hosts Malaysia. The masterclass innings by the former skipper which came in 69 balls included 13 boundaries and one maximum. India eventually went on to thrash the hosts as the latter bundled out for mere 27 runs.