Mandhana's Maiden T20I Century Fuels India's Victory; Opener Vows to Enhance Power Game

Smriti Mandhana Reflects on Maiden T20I Century, Eyes More Big Scores

Smriti Mandhana, the star Indian opener, has described her first T20I century as a "special" moment. While admitting that the T20 format doesn't come naturally to her, she pledged to continue refining her power-hitting skills.

Mandhana, who stepped in as captain due to Harmanpreet Kaur's injury, led from the front with a magnificent 112 in the opening T20I against England at Trent Bridge. This century, which propelled India to a 97-run victory, was her first in the format, adding to her Test and ODI achievements.

"It's a nice feeling because this format is something where, as a batter, I need to keep pushing and improving," Mandhana said after the match. "It's not a very natural format for me. I like to time the ball, not hit it hard. It's always been a work in progress - and still is."

Mandhana expressed satisfaction that her power-hitting training is yielding positive results. "To get a hundred in this format is pretty special. I've been working a lot on my power game and it’s nice to see it come through."

She also voiced her support for fellow opener Shafali Verma, who scored 20 off 22 balls. "I've seen Shafali bat brilliantly in the nets over the past week. She just needs to shake off the nerves. A big knock isn't far away."

Mandhana revealed that she was informed of her captaincy duties just two hours before the match but emphasized that the role did not affect her approach. "With the bat in hand, it doesn’t matter if you’re captain or not. You have to deliver for the team, and I’m happy I could do that today."

With India leading the series 1-0, the second T20I will be held in Hove, where Mandhana will aim to maintain her strong performance.