Mandhana's Maiden T20I Century Fueled by Yadav's Pep Talk; Joins Elite All-Format Club

Smriti Mandhana has revealed that a conversation with teammate Radha Yadav motivated her to achieve her first-ever T20I century.

Smriti Mandhana scored her maiden T20I hundred in the first game against England © Getty

"Three days back, Radha Yadav and I were talking," Mandhana stated. "These girls are quite critical of me at times. She told me, 'It's about time you score a century in T20Is. You keep getting out in the 70s and 80s, and you're not doing justice to your talent.'"

Mandhana continued, "I responded, 'Okay, Radha, I'll see. I'll try to get it in one of the matches this series.'"

Upon reaching the milestone, Mandhana became only the second Indian batter to achieve a century in Women's T20Is. She also joined an elite group of five female cricketers, including Heather Knight, Tammy Beaumont, Laura Wolvaardt, and Beth Mooney, to have scored a hundred in each of the three international formats.

Mandhana mentioned acknowledging Radha immediately after reaching the century, pointing at her from the pitch in a gesture signifying both joy and relief.

"I didn't anticipate it happening in the first match, but the finger was pointed towards her, signifying 'See, I got it today'," Mandhana explained. "It's frustrating to be dismissed in the 70s and 80s over the past decade, especially when you have the chance to lead the team through. So, I'm glad I could stay until the 19th and 20th over."

With Harmanpreet Kaur unavailable due to a last-minute fitness concern, Mandhana stepped in as captain. She noted that the added responsibility didn't alter her batting approach.

"As a batter, it doesn't change much. You don't think about captaincy while batting," Mandhana said. "Whenever you have the bat, your job is to contribute to the team, regardless of your position. I'm very happy I could contribute today."

She also shared how the team prepared for the possibility of Harmanpreet missing the game.

"Harman was being assessed last night and this morning, and there were a few scans to be done. We had a 50-50 idea, so I discussed plans with the bowlers. I was quite prepared last night, but the confirmation came today."

Under Mandhana's leadership, India delivered a comprehensive performance, handing England their most significant T20I defeat. Shree Charani, in her debut international T20I match, impressed with a four-wicket haul.

"The bowlers' execution of the plan was simply amazing," Mandhana praised. "It makes our job so much easier when they bowl like that. They were all focused and knew their plans."

Mandhana added, "Especially Shree, in her first match. We saw glimpses of her potential in the WPL. She always looked like a good bowler, but the way she bowled today was truly amazing, as did all the bowlers."