Table of Contents
Left-handed Smriti Mandhana etched her name into the annals of cricket history on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at Trent Bridge. The stand-in captain for India smashed her maiden T20 International century, becoming the first Indian woman to score hundreds in all three formats of international cricket and only the second Indian woman to achieve a T20I century. Her scintillating 112 off just 62 balls powered Women in Blue to a formidable total of 210/5 in the opening match of the T20I series against England.
Mandhana, leading the side in the absence of regular skipper Harmanpreet Kaur embraced the responsibility with remarkable flair. Opening the innings, she immediately took charge, finding the boundary in the very first over and maintaining an aggressive intent throughout the powerplay. Despite a somewhat cautious start that saw India reach 47/0 after six overs, Mandhana shifted gears dramatically in the seventh, plundering 19 runs off Sophie Ecclestone and racing to her half-century in a mere 27 balls.
Smriti Mandhana’s batting masterclass
Mandhana’s innings was a captivating blend of classical elegance and modern innovation. She reached her maiden T20I hundred in just 51 balls, a testament to her aggressive yet controlled strokeplay. Her magnificent knock was adorned with 15 fours and three towering sixes. The landmark moment arrived in the 16th over when she elegantly drove Lauren Bell for a boundary, eliciting thunderous applause from the packed Trent Bridge crowd, who had witnessed a truly special innings unfold.
The foundation of Mandhana’s monumental score was built on two crucial partnerships. She first combined with Shafali Verma for a solid 77-run opening stand, with Verma contributing a steady 20 off 22 balls. Following Verma’s departure, Mandhana forged an even more destructive 94-run partnership with Harleen Deol, who played a crucial supporting role with a quickfire 43 off 23 balls, propelling India past the 200-run mark. Mandhana’s 112 now stands as the highest individual score by an Indian in women’s T20Is, surpassing Kaur’s 103 against New Zealand in 2018.
Here’s the video:
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐌𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐀 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐖! 🎇
….and with that the she becomes the first Indian woman to score an international century across all formats.#SonySportsNetwork #ENGvIND #WomenInBlue pic.twitter.com/KoHAXFe290
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) June 28, 2025
Also READ: ENG vs IND, 1st T20I – Here’s why Harmanpreet Kaur is not playing today’s match
Mandhana joins an elite list of players
With this historic century, Mandhana has joined an exclusive club of women cricketers globally who boast centuries in all three international formats. This elite group includes formidable names like Heather Knight, Tammy Beaumont, Laura Wolvaardt and Beth Mooney. Furthermore, Mandhana has extended her record as India’s most prolific century-maker in women’s internationals, now accumulating an impressive 14 hundreds across formats, comprising 11 in ODIs, 2 in Tests and 1 T20I century.
Smriti Mandhana's ton propels India to a massive total 👉 https://t.co/gZ5W4JajHZ#cricket #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/ZjNxPAlvCO
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) June 28, 2025
England, after winning the toss and opting to field, found themselves under relentless pressure from Mandhana’s relentless strokeplay. While Lauren Bell emerged as the most successful bowler for England, claiming three wickets, the rest of the attack struggled significantly to contain the Indian skipper’s onslaught. India’s imposing total of 210 stands as one of their highest in women’s T20Is, setting England a daunting target in what promises to be an exciting series opener.
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
