Indian Women’s cricketer Pooja Vastrakar recently created a world record in Women’s ODI history. She became the first batter in Women’s ODI history to score more than two 50+ scores at the no.8 or lower position.
It was the last game of the three-match ODI series between the hosts Sri Lanka Women and India Women at Pallekele last Thursday (7th July), which was also a part of the 2022-2025 ICC Women's Championship. Though the visitors had the unassailable 2-0 lead in the series before that game, it was still important due to being a part of the ICC Women's Championship.
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In that last game of the series, India Women scored 255/9 in 50 overs after losing the toss. In reply, Sri Lanka Women were all out for 216 runs in 47.3 overs as the visitors claimed the WODI series by 3-0 with a victory of 39 runs.
In the first innings of that game, opener Shafali Verma scored 49 off 50 balls while the wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia scored 30 runs. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur was the highest scorer in that game with 75 off 88 balls, but the no.8 batter Pooja Vastrakar also played the crucial knock of 56 not out off 65 balls with the help of three sixes.
The 22-year-old right-handed batter scored her third WODI fifty in that game. While her all WODI half-centuries came at the no.8 or lower batting order, she became the first batter in WODI history to score more than two 50+ scores at the no.8 or lower batting order.
Previously, Pooja scored 51 runs at no.9 against Australia Women at Vadodara on 12th March 2018. Later, she scored 67 runs at no.8 against Pakistan Women at Mount Maunganui on 6th March 2022.
Former New Zealand Women cricketer Nicola Browne was the other player to record two fifties at the no.8 or lower batting order.
Coming back to the latest Pallekele WODI, Pooja also took two wickets as she finished with the bowling figures of 7-0-33-2.
