Smriti Mandhana’s Century Left England Reeling
It was supposed to be a tough fight, but what unfolded at Nottingham was a one-sided show. Smriti Mandhana’s century tore England apart as India crushed the hosts by 97 runs in the opening T20I on Saturday.
With Harmanpreet ruled out after a knock to the head during warm-ups, Mandhana took over the captaincy. What followed was one of her finest knocks in a blue jersey.
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Smooth Start, Sudden Fire
India was sent in to bat. Mandhana walked in with Shafali Verma. They didn’t rush. A few careful overs, and then the shots began.
Mandhana was classy from ball one. Verma supported well, picking her moments. Their partnership was worth 77 — solid and steady. Verma fell for 20, but she had already done her bit.
Mandhana, though, wasn’t done. She danced down the pitch. She pulled, she drove, she swept. Every stroke was a treat.
Smriti Mandhana’s Century – Harleen Joins the Party
Harleen Deol came in and didn’t waste time. She played her shots, kept Mandhana company, and pushed the pace.
They added 94 runs together. Harleen made 43 off 23, playing second fiddle but in style. But it was all about Smriti Mandhana’s Century — the timing, the ease, the confidence.
She reached her hundred in just 51 balls. Fours flew and sixes followed.
England Had No Answers
England looked flat. Their bowlers had no control. Lauren Bell took three wickets, but too late. Ecclestone was expensive. Capsey and Smith got hammered. Even good fielding couldn’t stop the flow.
By the time Mandhana fell in the final over, India had piled up 210 — their second-best T20 total ever. The damage was already done.
England’s Reply: A Collapse
England’s chase started badly and only got worse. A sharp catch from Ghosh in the very first over set the tone. Soon after, Deepti Sharma sent one through and picked up a big wicket.
Danni Wyatt, Tammy Beaumont, Amy Jones — all gone in no time. The scoreboard looked rough. The crowd sensed the result early.
Nat Sciver-Brunt fought hard. She scored a gutsy 66. But she was alone in the battle.
Shree Charani: Debut to Remember
While all eyes were on the batting, debutant spinner Shree Charani quietly scripted her own story. She finished with 4 for 12. Calm, composed, and deadly accurate.
Charani took out Sciver-Brunt and then the final wicket. Her spell left England stunned.
Still, Smriti Mandhana’s Century was the show-stealer. Charani just added the final stamp.
Smriti Mandhana’s Century – What This Century Means
This wasn’t just another hundred. Smriti Mandhana’s Century made history. It was her first in T20Is, and with it, she joined an elite list of women with tons in all formats.
She now joins the elite club of the only players to score centuries in all three formats with the likes of Tammy Beaumont, Laura Wolvaardt, and Heather Knight.
Mandhana and Verma’s stand of fifty-plus was their 21st, which is the most by any women’s T20I pair.
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England’s Harsh Reality Check
England had been in form at home. They beat the West Indies with ease. But this? This was different. This was clinical.
India’s weaknesses were their sloppy fielding, poor shot selection, and lack of a Plan B, which was exposed.
Sciver-Brunt’s knock was a positive. But she needed support, and none came.
India Takes Early Lead
With this win, India leads 1-0 in the five-match series. The confidence is high. The bench strength looks solid. Even without Harmanpreet, the team performed like a unit.
Smriti Mandhana’s Century made sure England never had a chance. The bowlers finished their job with flair.
Key Moments Recap
- India scored 210/5 in 20 overs.
- Smriti Mandhana’s Century (112 off 62 balls) set the tone.
- Harleen Deol scored a rapid 43.
- England all out for 113.
- Shree Charani took 4 wickets on debut.
- India won by 97 runs.
- The series stands at 1-0.
Final Word
The night belonged to Mandhana. Her hundred wasn’t just about big shots. It was about leadership, about taking responsibility and doing it in style.
Smriti Mandhana’s Century didn’t just win a match, but it lifted a team and made a statement.
India came prepared. And England will need to do a lot more to bounce back.
India v/s England First T20I in Nottingham – India’s Innings
India Women (20 overs maximum)
| Batting | R | B | M | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shafali Verma | c Ecclestone b Arlott | 20 | 22 | 40 | 90.90 |
| Smriti Mandhana (c) | c Nat Sciver-Brunt b Ecclestone | 112 | 62 | 92 | 180.64 |
| Harleen Deol | c Arlott b Bell | 43 | 23 | 35 | 186.95 |
| Richa Ghosh | c Dunkley b Bell | 12 | 6 | 6 | 200.00 |
| Jemimah Rodrigues | c Nat Sciver-Brunt b Bell | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0.00 |
| Amanjot Kaur | not out | 3 | 3 | 11 | 100.00 |
| Deepti Sharma | not out | 7 | 3 | 3 | 233.33 |
| Extras | (b 5, nb 1, w 7) | 13 | |||
| Total | 20 Ov (RR: 10.50) | 210/5 |
| Fall of Wickets | Score | Over | |
| Shafali Verma | c Ecclestone b Emily Arlott | 1-77 | 8.3 |
| Harleen Deol | c Emily Arlott b Bell | 2-171 | 15.6 |
| Richa Ghosh | c Dunkley b Bell | 3-186 | 17.2 |
| Jemimah Rodrigues | c Sciver b Bell | 4-190 | 17.4 |
| Smriti Mandhana | c Sciver b Ecclestone | 5-202 | 19.2 |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Eco |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lauren Bell | 4 | 0 | 27 | 3 | 6.75 |
| Em Arlott | 4 | 0 | 38 | 1 | 9.50 |
| Lauren Filer | 4 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 8.75 |
| Linsey Smith | 3 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 13.66 |
| Sophie Ecclestone | 3 | 0 | 43 | 1 | 14.33 |
| Alice Capsey | 2 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 10.50 |
India v/s England First T20I in Nottingham – England’s Innings
England Women (T: 211 runs from 20 overs)
| Batting | R | B | M | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sophia Dunkley | c Ghosh b Kaur | 7 | 4 | 4 | 175.00 |
| Danni Wyatt-Hodge | c Deol b Sharma | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0.00 |
| Nat Sciver-Brunt (c) | c Ghosh b Shree Charani | 66 | 42 | 56 | 157.14 |
| Tammy Beaumont | b Sharma | 10 | 11 | 18 | 90.90 |
| Amy Jones | st Ghosh b Yadav | 1 | 2 | 2 | 50.00 |
| Alice Capsey | c Reddy b Shree Charani | 5 | 6 | 8 | 83.33 |
| Em Arlott | c Mandhana b Yadav | 12 | 10 | 7 | 120.00 |
| Sophie Ecclestone | c Rodrigues b Shree Charani | 1 | 4 | 7 | 25.00 |
| Lauren Filer | c Ghosh b Reddy | 2 | 4 | 5 | 50.00 |
| Linsey Smith | not out | 0 | 0 | 4 | – |
| Lauren Bell | c Rodrigues b Shree Charani | 2 | 4 | 2 | 50.00 |
| Extras | (b 5, nb 1, w 7) | 13 | |||
| Total | 20 Ov (RR: 10.50) | 210/5 |
| Fall of Wickets | | Score | Over |
| Sophia Dunkley | c Ghosh b Kaur | 1-9 | 0.6 |
| Danni Wyatt-Hodge | c Deol b Sharma | 2-9 | 1.1 |
| Tammy Beaumont | b Sharma | 3-58 | 5.6 |
| Amy Jones | st Ghosh b Yadav | 4-62 | 6.3 |
| Alice Capsey | c Reddy b Shree Charani | 5-70 | 8.2 |
| Em Arlott | c Mandhana b Yadav | 6-88 | 10.5 |
| Sophie Ecclestone | c Rodrigues b Shree Charani | 7-102 | 12.2 |
| Lauren Filer | c Ghosh b Reddy | 8-111 | 13.6 |
| Nat Sciver-Brunt | c Ghosh b Shree Charani | 9-111 | 14.1 |
| Lauren Bell | c Rodrigues b Shree Charani | 10-113 | 14.5 |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Eco |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amanjot Kaur | 2 | 0 | 22 | 1 | 11.00 |
| Deepti Sharma | 3 | 0 | 32 | 2 | 10.66 |
| Shree Charani | 3.5 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 3.13 |
| Arundhati Reddy | 2 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 9.00 |
| Radha Yadav | 2 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 7.50 |
| Sneh Rana | 2 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 6.50 |
