7 and 18 = Iconic! Fans celebrate Smriti Mandhana-Harmanpreet Kaur and Virat Kohli-MS Dhoni jersey connection

Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana displayed their batting prowess at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, each scoring a century in the 2nd ODI against South Africa. Mandhana hit 136 off 120 balls, while Kaur smashed 103 runs off 88 balls, helping India post a total of 325-3.

ALSO READ | IND W vs SA W: Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur 100s propel India to 325 runs in Bengaluru

Soon after these impressive performances, what excited netizens was their jersey numbers matching those of the Indian men's duo, Virat Kohli (No. 18) and MS Dhoni (No. 7). Smriti wears the iconic No. 18 jersey, while Harmanpreet matches the 'Thala' of the men's cricket. Fans on social media, particularly X (formerly known as Twitter), couldn't help but note how these iconic jersey numbers signify batting prowess and their effectiveness together in partnerships.

In the ongoing ODI series, India won the first match convincingly by 143 runs, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. In the 2nd ODI, they set a challenging target of 326 runs for South Africa to chase, having already taken an early wicket. After 10 overs, South Africa had scored 52 runs and now need 274 runs to win.

ALSO READ | T20 World Cup 2024: Your complete guide to Super 8s – Teams, fixtures, and all you need to know

Meanwhile, the Indian men's team is currently in the West Indies, preparing for the Super 8s of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024. They topped Group A, which included co-hosts USA, Pakistan, Ireland, and Canada. Fans eagerly await Virat Kohli's return to action, especially after his recent performances in New York did not meet expectations. Their first match will be against Afghanistan in Barbados.

Teams:

India Women (Playing XI): Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Dayalan Hemalatha, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh(w), Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Asha Sobhana

South Africa Women (Playing XI): Laura Wolvaardt(c), Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Sune Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Nadine de Klerk, Nondumiso Shangase, Mieke de Ridder(w), Masabata Klaas, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayabonga Khaka.

Enjoy 35+ OTTs like ZEE5, LionsgatePlay, Ullu, SunNXT, SonyLIV, Fancode and 250+ Live TV channels at just ₹99