Smriti Mandhana keeps churning, Western Storm keep winning

The win was Storm’s fifth in seven outings and pushed them closer towards a spot in Finals Day.

India’s Smriti Mandhana has extended her T20 form with another fifty in a winning cause for Western Storm in the Kia Women’s Cricket Super League.

Mandhana, after scores of 48, 37, 52*, 43* and 102, hit 56 off 36 deliveries to help Storm beat Yorkshire Diamonds by seven wickets at Scarborough on Sunday. She comfortably leads the run charts in the tournament with 338 from six innings, a whopping 157 runs short of the next best, Yorkshire’s Lauren Winfield, with 181.

READ: Smriti Mandhana hits joint fastest fifty in women T20s

Heather Knight, the skipper of the England women’s team said on Mandhana’s form: “The team is full of confidence at the moment. The way we’re going about our cricket is really pleasing. The top of the order is obviously going very well, Smriti in particular. Smriti’s just effortless. She’s so pleasing on the eye, keeps it simple and hits it straight. Everything is going her way at the moment, even those ones that fall into gaps.”

READ: Smriti Mandhana’s ‘fan girl’ moment

The win was Storm’s fifth in seven outings and pushed them closer towards a spot in Finals Day.

Chasing 173, the defending champions were given a robust start from Mandhana, 22, who put on 101 inside ten overs with Rachel Priest (37). Knight finished with chase with 45 not out from 37 balls, as Storm won with four balls left.

Brief scores: Western Storm 173/3 in 19.2 overs (Mandhana 56, Knight 45*) beat Yorkshire Diamonds 172/5 (Mooney 69) by seven wickets