India batter Smriti Mandhana, who is a part of Southern Brave in the ongoing edition of The Hundred, has withdrawn her name from the last two fixtures including the final to spend time with her family before the Australia tour. The Brave Women have called up Ireland’s Gaby Lewis as her replacement.
Southern Brave Women have won six out of the seven matches that they have played in the competition and are presently sitting at the top of the points table.
Mandhana struck a fine 52-ball 78 for Southern Brave in their last encounter against Welsh Fire as the side posted a mammoth 166/3 in the allotted 100 balls. The left-handed batter along with her opening partner Wyatt put 107 for the first wicket as both the players notched up individual half-centuries. In reply, the Welsh team were restricted to 127/4 as the Southern Brave side won the match by 39 runs.
They are now slated to play against the Oval Invincibles on Monday (August 16, 2021) in Southampton. Mandhana has scored 167 runs in the seven matches that she has played so far for the side at a strike rate of over 133.
The Indian women’s team will tour Australia in September-October where they will play three ODIs, one-off Test and three T20Is. The tour will begin on September 19, 2021, with the ODI series in Sydney.