Smriti Mandhana's Century Leads India to Victory Over England in T20I

India Dominates England in First T20I

Nottingham [UK], June 28: In a remarkable performance, stand-in captain Smriti Mandhana scored a historic century, while debutant spinner Shree Charani delivered an impressive bowling display, leading India to a commanding 97-run victory against England in the first T20I held in Nottingham on Saturday.

This triumph gives India a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, with the next T20I scheduled for July 1 in Bristol.

After winning the toss, England chose to bowl first. India started strong with a 77-run opening partnership between Mandhana and Shafali Varma, who contributed 20 runs off 22 balls, including three boundaries. The team scored 47 runs during the powerplay overs.

A subsequent 94-run partnership for the second wicket between Mandhana and Harleen Deol, who scored 43 runs off 23 balls with seven fours, propelled India past the 100-run mark in just 10.1 overs, showcasing exceptional ball-striking.

India reached a total of 210 runs for 5 wickets in their 20 overs, with Lauren Bell taking 3 wickets for 27 runs, claiming the scalps of Harleen, wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh (12), and Jemimah Rodrigues (0) in the final overs.

India excelled in the middle overs, amassing 124 runs, marking their highest score in this phase of the game.

Mandhana's explosive innings of 112 runs off 62 balls, featuring 15 fours and three sixes, made her the first Indian woman to score a century across all formats and only the second after Harmanpreet Kaur to achieve a T20I century. This score is also the highest by an Indian woman in T20Is, with 78 runs coming from boundaries, a record for Indian women's T20I innings, according to ESPNCricinfo.

Globally, only five players have reached the milestone of being an all-format centurion in women's cricket, including England's Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont, South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt, and Australia's Beth Mooney.

This total of 210 is India's second-highest in T20Is, surpassed only by their 217/4 against the West Indies, and represents their highest score in T20Is away from home.

Em Arlott (1/38) and Sophie Ecclestone (1/43) also contributed with the ball for England.

In their chase, England struggled early, losing openers Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt for single-digit scores, finding themselves at 9/2. A partnership of 49 runs between skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt, who scored 66 runs off 42 balls with 10 fours, and Tammy Beaumont (10) provided some stability until Beaumont was dismissed on the last ball of the powerplay, leaving England at 58/3.

However, the innings quickly deteriorated as spinners Charani (4/12) and Radha Yadav (2/15) dismantled the batting lineup, resulting in England being bowled out for just 113 runs in 14.5 overs. This marks England's largest defeat in terms of runs in women's T20Is.

Charani made history by becoming the second Indian bowler to take four wickets on her Women's T20I debut, following Sravanthi Naidu's 4/9 against Bangladesh in 2014.

Deepti Sharma also shone with the ball, taking 2 wickets for 32 runs, while Amanjot Kaur and Arundhati Reddy each claimed one wicket.

Mandhana was awarded the 'Player of the Match' for her outstanding performance.