Women's India vs England 1st T20I Recap: Smriti Mandhana's Century and Shree Charani's Superb Debut Fuel India's Overpowering Victory over England by 97 Runs
Smiti Mandhana Steals the Spotlight in Stunning T20I Debut
A spectacular Nottingham night saw stand-in skipper Smriti Mandhana light up the stadium with a phenomenal century on her T20I debut, leading India to a massive 97-run victory over England and securing a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. Meanwhile, left-arm spinner N Shree Charani celebrated an unforgettable bowling performance, snagging a four-wicket haul on her first appearance.
Smriti Mandhana - India's First All-Format Centurion in Women's Cricket
Smriti Mandhana made history, becoming the first Indian woman batter to score a ton in all three formats of the game. She plundered an stunning 112 - the highest individual score for India in Women's T20Is, outscoring regular captain Harmanpreet Kaur's 103 in the process. India reached a formidable total of 210/5 in 20 overs, marking their highest T20I score against England.
England Struggles in the Face of Determined Indian Bowlers
In response, England crumbled. Spinner Deepti Sharma (2-32) and Radha Yadav (2-15) proved tough to handle, but Shree Charani was the star of the show with her devastating 4-12 in 3.5 overs. England were dismissed for 113 in 14.5 overs. Deepti and her fellow spinners made it a hard-fought victory for her fellow spinners as India started the series off with one of their best triumphs against England.
More to Explore:- Smriti Mandhana now joins an illustrious group of women cricketers, including Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont of England, Laura Wolvaardt of South Africa, and Beth Mooney of Australia, who have scored centuries in all three formats of the game.- Meanwhile, England's struggle against India is not limited to their T20I series - women cricket fans in Aligarh are expressing concerns over a crisis affecting 3,500 Dalit students in the area, urging UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath for intervention.- Now, all eyes are on the New Zealand vs Australia series, where a fiercely contested competition is expected, shining a light on the exciting future of women's T20 cricket.
Smriti Mandhana, the Indian veteran, took center stage with a spectacular 112-run innings laced with 15 boundaries and three towering sixes, making her the first Indian woman cricketer to score a century in all three formats of the game. India posted a mighty total of 210/5 in 20 overs, a new high against England in T20Is.
Her teammate, Harleen Deol, gave her good support, scoring 43 runs before missing her half-century by a margin of just seven runs. In the end, the duo setup a foundation for a big total, with Mandhana becoming the first Indian to score a century in all three formats of the men's and women's game.
Mandhana's 14th century, a special one considering it came in the T20 format, surpassed her previous best of 88 against West Indies in 2019. In her illustrious career, Mandhana has amassed a total of 11 centuries in ODIs, 2 in Test matches, and one in T20Is - a goal she had set for herself when she started her career.
In the chase, England had a dismal start when Amanjot Kaur dismissed Sophia Dunkley for 7 runs in the first over itself, and Deepti Sharma struck with her first ball by having Danni Wyatt caught out by Harleen at short third. England slumped to 9/2, leaving them with a mountain to climb.
Despite Nat Sciver-Brunt and Tammy Beaumont attempting to restore the innings with a 49-run partnership, their efforts were not enough. Lancaster Park erupted with cheers as Deepti got rid of Tammy Beaumont for 10 runs, followed by Alice Capsey, Em Arlott, and Sophie Ecclestone's early dismissals.
By the 15th over, England were reeling at 88/7, and despite Sciver-Brunt's efforts to lead the recovery, they ultimately fell for 113 - a mere 97 runs short of India's daunting total. Shree Charani, the left-arm spinner making her debut, was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 4-12 in 3.5 overs, backed up by Deepti (2-32) and Radha Yadav (2-15).
Brief Scores: India Women 210/5 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 112, Harleen Deol 43; Lauren Bell 3-27) beat England Women 113 all out in 14.5 overs (Nat Sciver-Brunt 66; Shree Charani 4-12, Deepti Sharma 2-32, Radha Yadav 2-15). India now holds a 1-0 lead in the five-match T20 series, with three ODIs left to be played in the England tour.
Smriti Mandhana's exceptional performance extended beyond cricket, as she became the first Indian woman cricketer to score a century in all three formats of the game, including a record-breaking 112 in a T20I match against England. In a parallel fashion, Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone made history by becoming the first Indian actress to feature in a Hollywood film, xXx: Return of Xander Cage, thus showcasing her prowess in sports (Hollywood).
India's victory over England in women's cricket, led by Smriti Mandhana's century, evoked celebrations and excitement among the fans, much like the cheers for the Indian cricket team during a nail-biting India-Pakistan ICC Cricket World Cup match or the electric atmosphere at the India vs Sri Lanka FIFA U17 World Cup soccer match, further demonstrating the fervor Indians share for sports in general.
