Smriti Mandhana finally ended her long-standing T20I century drought with a solid 112 off just 62 balls in India’s 97-run win over England in the opening match of the five-match series. The Indian skipper, after the game, revealed a motivating conversation from teammate Radha Yadav that led to the memorable innings.
For over a decade, Mandhana had often gotten out in the 70s and 80s. In her previous 12 T20I innings, she had crossed the fifty-run mark seven times, but could never turn it into a century. Speaking after the match, Mandhana credited Radha for giving her the challenge that led to her milestone moment.
“Three days back, me and Radha Yadav, we were having a conversation. These girls are really hard on me sometimes. She was telling me, ‘It’s high time you get a century in T20Is, you keep getting out in the 70s, 80s and you are not doing justice to your talent and all of that stuff.’ I was like, ‘okay, Radha, I’ll see now, this time I’ll try and get it in one of the matches in the series,” Mandhana said.
Did not think that it would come in the first match: Mandhana
The southpaw was leading the team in place of Harmanpreet Kaur, who was sidelined due to a head injury, smashed 15 fours and three sixes to guide the visitors to 210/5, their second-highest total in Women’s T20Is. She reached her century in just 51 balls and pointed a finger at her teammate, and she smiled after reaching the three-figure mark.
“I did not think that it would come in the first match, but the finger was towards her, that ‘see, I got it today. Because it’s pretty frustrating to get out in the 70s and 80s over the last ten years, and when you had that opportunity to take the team through. So I’m happy that I could stay and take the team to the 19th and the 20th over,” she added.
Meanwhile, in reply, the home team were bowled out for 113 in 14.5 overs, with only Nat Sciver-Brunt (66 off 42) playing a fighting innings. For India, debutant Shree Charani bagged a four-wicket haul. While Deepti Sharma and Radha each picked two wickets, helping the visitors go 0-1 up in the series
“The way the bowlers bowled and executed the plan, it was just amazing. That makes our job very, very easy when they bowl like that and they all were really focused, they knew their plans. Especially Shree, to come in the first match and bowl. We saw what she could do in the WPL a little bit. She was always looking like a really good bowler. But today the way she actually bowled was amazing, as did all the bowlers,” Mandhana concluded.
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