Smriti Mandhana's maiden T20I century and Shree Charani's impressive debut performance propelled India to a dominant 97-run victory over England in the first T20I at Trent Bridge on Saturday. With this win, India takes a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
India, after being asked to bat first, amassed a formidable total of 210/5 in their 20 overs. Shafali Verma's early struggles were cut short, but Smriti Mandhana and Harleen Deol forged a crucial 94-run partnership for the second wicket, setting a strong platform for the innings. Deol contributed a quickfire 43 off 23 balls, while Mandhana anchored the innings with a scintillating century.
Mandhana's magnificent innings of 112 runs off 62 balls was studded with 15 fours and 3 sixes. Her relentless attack ensured India scored at more than nine runs per over in the first half of the innings. She reached her half-century in 27 balls and continued to accelerate, ultimately reaching her century in just 51 balls. In the process, Mandhana became the first Indian woman to score a century in all three formats of international cricket. Her score is also the highest individual score for India Women in T20Is, surpassing Harmanpreet Kaur's 103.
England's chase never really took off, as they were bundled out for a mere 113 in 14.5 overs, despite a valiant effort from Nat Sciver-Brunt, who scored 66 off 42 balls. The Indian spinners took control in the second half of the innings, claiming eight of the ten wickets. Debutant Shree Charani was the pick of the bowlers, registering figures of 4/12 in her 3.5 overs. She accounted for crucial wickets, including that of Sciver-Brunt. Deepti Sharma and Radha Yadav also chipped in with two wickets each.
India's bowling attack executed their plan effectively, restricting boundary-scoring opportunities and forcing the English batters to hit against the wind. England Women's captain, Nat Sciver-Brunt, acknowledged India's performance and highlighted areas for improvement, including their bowling and fielding. She noted that dropped catches and a tendency to play too square contributed to their downfall.
Smriti Mandhana was deservedly named Player of the Match for her outstanding century. She expressed her determination to break the century barrier and credited her success to adapting to the wind conditions and focusing on timing the ball. She also praised Harleen Deol's aggressive batting and the team's collective fielding effort.
This emphatic victory marks England's heaviest defeat in T20Is and provides India with a significant advantage in the five-match series. The second T20I will be played in Bristol on July 1st.
