Smriti Mandhana credits teammate Radha Yadav for inspiring her to score her maiden T20I century in India’s massive win over England. Her 112 off 62 balls set records and propelled India to a 97-run victory, while debutant N Shree Charani stunned with a four-wicket haul.
In a memorable display of brilliance and determination, Indian opener Smriti Mandhana etched her name into the record books by smashing her maiden T20 International century in the series opener against England at Trent Bridge. Her blistering 112 off just 62 balls not only propelled India to a massive 97-run victory, but also made her the first Indian woman to score centuries across all three international formats — Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.
Following the match, Mandhana revealed a light-hearted yet impactful conversation with teammate Radha Yadav that acted as the perfect catalyst for her long-awaited T20I ton. “Three days back, me and Radha were having a conversation. These girls are really hard on me sometimes. She was telling me, ‘It’s high time you get a century in T20Is, you keep getting out in the 70s and 80s and you are not doing justice to your talent’,” Mandhana shared during the post-match interview. “I was like, ‘Okay, Radha, I’ll see now. This time I’ll try and get it in one of the matches in the series.’”
And she did — in the very first match.
The knock was not only monumental on a personal level but also in the context of Indian women’s cricket. With this century, Mandhana joined elite company, becoming only the second Indian woman to score a T20I century after Harmanpreet Kaur, and only the fifth woman globally to record centuries in all three formats. She now stands alongside the likes of Heather Knight, Tammy Beaumont, Laura Wolvaardt, and Beth Mooney.
Her celebration was heartfelt. After reaching the century milestone in just 51 balls, Mandhana flashed a beaming smile and pointed her finger toward the dressing room, acknowledging Radha Yadav’s motivational nudge. “The finger was towards her — ‘See, I got it today,’” she laughed. “It’s been frustrating getting out in the 70s and 80s over the last ten years, especially when there’s a chance to take the team through. So I’m happy I could stay till the 19th and 20th over.”
India’s total, bolstered by Mandhana’s ton, proved far too steep for England, who crumbled under scoreboard pressure. Helping to seal the emphatic win was debutant N Shree Charani, a left-arm spinner who delivered a dream debut performance with a four-wicket haul.
Mandhana didn’t hold back her praise for the young bowler. “The way the bowlers bowled and executed the plan was just amazing. That makes our job very easy when they perform like that,” she said. “Shree, especially — to come into your first match and bowl the way she did — we saw her potential during the WPL, but today she showed what she’s really capable of.”
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The convincing victory has not only given India a 1-0 lead in the five-match T20I series, but also set a strong tone for the matches ahead. Mandhana’s knock, born out of camaraderie, challenge, and focus, is now a shining chapter in Indian women’s cricket history.
As India continues its campaign, the fans will be watching closely — not only to see Mandhana’s bat blaze again, but to witness how emerging stars like Charani carry forward the momentum of this statement win.
