**Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal Set New Record for Highest Opening Partnership Against Australia in ICC Women’s World Cups**
*By Gaurav Tripathi | Oct 12, 2025 | 06:17 pm*
In an enthralling group stage match against Australia in Visakhapatnam, Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal scripted history by setting a new record for the highest-ever opening partnership against Australia in ICC Women’s World Cups. The dynamic duo surpassed the previous mark of 101 runs held by England’s E Bakewell and D Thomas, which was set during the inaugural World Cup in 1973. Interestingly, no other pair had managed a century stand against Australia in Women’s World Cups until now.
### Record-Breaking Feat: Highest Opening Stand Against Australia
According to ESPNcricinfo, Mandhana and Rawal also rewrote the record books by registering the highest-ever opening partnership against Australia in Women’s One Day Internationals (ODIs). The pair compiled an impressive 155-run stand before Mandhana was dismissed for 80 runs.
The innings began cautiously, with both players taking their time to assess the conditions. However, as the partnership blossomed, they took on Australia’s premier bowlers, Sophie Molineux and Ashleigh Gardner, dispatching them with crisply timed boundaries and well-calculated aggression.
### Milestone Achievement: Second ODI Partnership for Mandhana and Rawal
The partnership gained momentum in the ninth over when Rawal showcased her power-hitting prowess by smashing a six and a four off Ashleigh Gardner, pushing their stand beyond 50 runs. This marked their 14th 50-plus partnership in ODIs, putting them second only to the formidable duo of Harmanpreet Kaur and Mithali Raj, who have registered 18 such stands for India.
Furthermore, this stand was their sixth successful opening partnership across 21 Women’s ODI innings. When it comes to century stands for India in the format, only Mithali Raj and Punam Raut have more with seven such partnerships.
### Partnership Progress: Fourth Century-Plus Stand of 2025 for the Duo
At 93 runs in the 18th over, Rawal was dropped on the field but quickly recovered as they crossed the 100-run milestone. This marked their fourth century-plus partnership in 2025 alone, a feat only rivaled by Australia’s Belinda Clark and Lisa Keightley, who achieved five century stands in 2000, and New Zealand’s Suzie Bates and Rachel Priest, who recorded four in 2015.
### Smriti Mandhana’s Personal Milestones
Mandhana’s innings was a fine display of skill and power. She scored 80 runs off just 66 balls, including 9 fours and 3 sixes. During her stay at the crease, she passed the significant milestone of 5,000 runs in Women’s ODIs, taking only 112 innings to reach this mark — the fastest ever to do so. Her career tally now includes 13 centuries and 33 half-centuries.
Additionally, with her 18th run in the match, Mandhana became the first-ever batter in Women’s ODIs to complete 1,000 runs in a calendar year, underscoring her consistent brilliance.
### Pratika Rawal’s Impressive Performance
Rawal contributed a well-made 75 off 96 deliveries, featuring 10 fours and a six. The 25-year-old now boasts eight 50-plus scores in 21 WODI appearances, including one century. According to ESPNcricinfo, her seventh WODI fifty brought her total runs to 982 at an excellent average of 49.10.
This innings marked her second fifty in just four outings against Australia and her maiden half-century in the ICC Women’s World Cup, highlighting her emergence as a dependable middle-order batter for India.
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The record-breaking opening stand by Mandhana and Rawal not only set the tone for India’s innings but also added a memorable chapter to the history of Women’s cricket. Their combination of resilience, skill, and aggression promises exciting times ahead for Indian cricket fans.
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