Richa, Harmanpreet weigh in as India record highest-ever team total in Women’s Test cricket

New Delhi: After the record-breaking opening run-stand between Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana, India Women continued the run-fest, recording the highest-ever team total in the history of women’s Test cricket. On Day 2 of the one-off Test that is being played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India breached the 600-run mark, posting a mammoth 603/6d and declaring their first innings at 115.1 overs.

With this, India also became the first team in Women’s Test history to smash 600 runs. On the back of Richa Ghosh (86) and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (69), who both struck half-centuries, India surpassed the previous best of 575/9 set by Australia in Perth this February. India registered the new record when Richa Ghosh hammered a four off the first ball of the 109th over bowled by Annerie Dercksen which took their total to 579.

Watch the historic moment here –

Much of the credit for the gigantic feat goes to the openers Verma (205) and Mandhana (149) who stitched a humongous stand of 292 runs which is the highest opening partnership in the history of women’s cricket. The total was also well-aided by Jemimah Rodrigues (55) and the middle-order duo of Harmanpreet and Richa.

The declaration came when Richa was hit on the pads by Nonkululeko Miaba and the umpire adjudged it as out. She opted for a review but to no avail as she missed on a well-deserved ton and the Indian management found the total huge enough as their first innings score. It wouldn’t be easy for sure for the South African batters to go after the mind-boggling total.

India had ended Day 1 at a high as they posted 525/4 which became the highest-ever single-day total in a Test match, breaking the previous record held by the Sri Lankan men’s team (509/9) against Bangladesh in Colombo in 2002.

Highest team total in women’s Test history

 India Women posted a mammoth 603/6 d as their first innings score in the one-off Test against South Africa, recording India’s highest-ever team total in Women’s Test cricket.  Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today