5 records that were created in ICC Women's World Cup 2017

When the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 started about a month ago, little did we know that this tournament would celebrate multiple historical moments, by the time it concluded. Massive knocks, wonder spells and efficient fielding – this World Cup saw it all.

These women went on to break world records and silence the doubts in the minds of the onlookers. Their achievements were hailed by veterans and fans as they created a unique spot for themselves in the ‘male’ dominated sport.

In the recently-concluded World Cup, that was won by the hosts England, there were a lot of World Cup records that were shattered with ease. At the same time, five world records were created and out of those five, India's Mithali Raj is the proud owner of three of them.

Extra cover: ICC announce the Team of the Tournament, Mithali Raj named as the captain

Let us take a look at all the five world records that were created in the World Cup.

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#5 Most consecutive fifties in women's ODIs

Only Javed Miandad has more consecutive ODI fifties than Mithali Raj

In the first match of the World Cup, India defeated the hosts England by 35 runs to start the tournament on a great note. Smriti Mandhana laid the foundation for India's victory with a brisk 90 and was well supported by skipper Mithali Raj, who scored 71 off 73 balls.

During her knock, Mithali became the first woman to score seven consecutive fifties in ODIs. She broke the record held by former England captain Charlotte Edwards and Australian duo of Lindsay Reeler and Ellyse Perry, who scored fifties in six consecutive innings.

Her fifties' streak, that had scores of 70*, 64, 73*, 51*, 54, 62* and 71, almost had one more added to it, but the Indian skipper was dismissed just four runs short of the 50-run mark in her team's second match against West Indies.

Incidentally, Ellyse Perry scored five consecutive fifties in this World Cup before she was dismissed for 38 against India in the semi-final.

The only cricketer, male or female, who has more consecutive fifties in ODIs is former Pakistan batsman Javed Miandad.

#4 Highest score against a full member in women's ODIs

Chamari Athapaththu scored 178 of her side's 257 runs against Australia

Former Australian captain Belinda Clark was the first cricketer to score a double-century in ODIs when she scored an unbeaten 229 off just 155 balls against Denmark in the 1997 ICC Women's World Cup in Mumbai.

This was the highest score by a woman in ODI cricket and the second highest belongs to India's own Deepti Sharma, who scored 188 against Ireland in Potchefstroom just before the start of the World Cup. Although Ireland have become a full member of the ICC, they were still an associate team when Deepti scored the highest score by an Indian woman in ODIs.

Without any disrespect to either of these players, their knocks came against associate teams. Before the start of the World Cup, the highest individual score against a full member was held by England's Sarah Taylor, who scored 171 against Sri Lanka in 2013.

The recently-concluded World Cup saw two batters going past Sarah's score of 171 with the latest one being Harmanpreet Kaur who scored an unbeaten 171 against the Aussies in the semifinal, an innings considered by many to be the greatest by an Indian in a World Cup.

Earlier in the tournament, veteran Sri Lankan batsman Chamari Athapaththu scored an unbeaten 178 against the defending champions Australia, the highest ever score in women's ODIs against a full member of the ICC.

Chamari scored her runs off 143 balls with the help of 22 fours and six sixes, but that wasn't enough for her team to beat the Southern Stars as skipper Meg Lanning's unbeaten 152 off 135 balls was enough for the Aussies to chase down the target of 258 in just 44 overs with eight wickets in hand.

#3 Four wickets without conceding a single run

Van Niekerk celebrates after taking a wicket against the West Indies

The 2017 Women's World Cup was a successful one as it saw a lot of tight matches being contested, with the final being the best match of the tournament. One of the very few one-sided contests in the tournament was the group stage game between South Africa and West Indies in Leicester.

West Indies were bundled out for just 48 batting first and the Proteas chased down the total in just 6.2 overs with all 10 wickets in hand. South African skipper Dane Van Niekerk created history in the match by becoming the first player (male or female) to take four wickets without conceding a run in any format of the game.

#DaneVanNiekerk3.2 overs4 wickets3 maidens0 runsThat is not a typo!?? @danevn81#SAvWI #WWC17 pic.twitter.com/xrqNoCSJ9o

— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) July 2, 2017

The leggie bowled 3.2 overs and took the wickets of Merissa Aguilleira, Shanel Daley, Chedean Nation and Qiana Joseph to end with figures of 3.2-0-0-4.

In the history of cricket, there have been 66 instances (62 men and four women) of a bowler picking up a wicket without conceding a single run. Out of those 66 occasions, this is just the fifth time a bowler had picked up more than one wicket without conceding a run.

Australia's Richie Benaud held the record for most wickets without conceding a run when he took three wickets in his 3.4 overs against India in 1959. In women's cricket, this record was held by England's Gill Smith, whose figures read 5-5-0-2 against Ireland in 1990.

#2 Most fifties in women's ODIs

Mithali Raj during her knock against England in the tournament opener

The 2017 ICC Women's World Cup got off to a great start as hosts England were beaten by the eventual runners-up India by 35 runs on the opening day of the tournament. Indian opener Smriti Mandhana was the star for the visitors as she scored a swashbuckling 90 to get her team off to a great start.

She was well backed by Indian skipper Mithali Raj, who scored 71 off 73 balls. Earlier in the article, we mentioned that Mithali became the first woman to score seven consecutive fifties in ODIs. During her knock of 71, she also became the batswoman with the most number of fifties in ODIs.

Coming into the tournament tied with Charlotte Edwards' 46 ODI fifties, Mithali broke the record in the very first match and ended the tournament with 49 fifties, three more than Edwards.

#1 Most runs in women's ODIs

Mithali Raj stamped her authority as the GOAT in women's cricket

The Indian captain is, without a shadow of a doubt, the greatest ever batswoman to have graced the sport. In the recently-concluded tournament, she stamped her authority as the greatest of all-time when she overtook former England batter Charlotte Edwards' 5992 runs in ODIs, to become the leading run scorer in the format, during India's group stage game against Australia.

Extra cover: Mithali Raj becomes all-time leading run-scorer in women's ODIs

Mithali achieved the feat when she guided the fourth ball of the 29th over bowled by Ellyse Perry to the fielder at cover for a single. Three balls later, she hoisted Kristen Beams over her head to become the first woman to reach the 6000-run mark in ODIs.

That innings also saw Mithali score her 49th ODI fifty. Though she crossed the 50-run mark against New Zealand in the last group game, she ended the tournament with just 49 fifties as she converted the fifty against the White Ferns, a knock that would have been her 50th fifty, into a hundred.