Smriti Mandhana's Historic Duck in T20I Against England

In a surprising turn of events, Smriti Mandhana was dismissed on the very first ball of the T20I match against England, marking a historic moment in women's cricket. As the Indian women's team began their four-match series, Mandhana's early exit raised eyebrows, especially as she is India's top run-scorer in T20Is. The absence of captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who was rested for this match, added to the team's challenges. Discover more about the match dynamics and player statistics in this detailed overview.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 29, 2026, 00:20 IST

Indian Women's Cricket Team Faces England in T20I Series

On May 28, the Indian women's cricket team commenced their four-match T20I series against England, captained by the prominent left-handed batsman Smriti Mandhana. The match took place at the County Ground in Chelmsford, where Mandhana opened the innings but unfortunately was dismissed on the very first ball. England's Lauren Bell claimed her wicket, with Charlie Dean taking a straightforward catch.

This dismissal marked a significant moment in cricket history, as Mandhana became the first Indian woman to be out on the opening ball of a T20 International. The 29-year-old, who holds the record as India's leading run-scorer in T20Is, recorded her sixth duck in this format. Only Shafali Verma has more ducks in T20Is for India.

Most Ducks for India in WT20Is

1. Shafali Verma - 7
2. Harmanpreet Kaur - 6
3. Smriti Mandhana - 6
4. Jemimah Rodrigues - 6
5. Deepti Sharma - 6

Harmanpreet Kaur's Absence in the First T20I

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur was not part of the opening T20I against England. Mandhana reassured fans that there were no fitness concerns regarding Harmanpreet, who is expected to return for the second match after being rested for the initial game. "She’s (Harmanpreet) resting today, no concerns at all. She’ll be ready for the next match," Mandhana stated during the toss. The official X handle of the Indian women's cricket team later confirmed her rest.

Playing XIs

India: Smriti Mandhana (C), Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Bharti Fulmali, Richa Ghosh (WK), Deepti Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud, Nandni Sharma, Shree Charani
England: Sophia Dunkley, Alice Capsey, Amy Jones (WK), Heather Knight, Freya Kemp, Danielle Gibson, Charlotte Dean (C), Issy Wong, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Bell, Tilly Corteen-Coleman