Mandhana reveals how conversation with Radha propelled her to score first T20I ton

Nottingham, June 29 (IANS) After becoming the India woman to hit centuries in all three international formats through a breath-taking knock of 112 off 62 balls in the series opener against England, Smriti Mandhana revealed that a conversation with her teammate Radha Yadav propelled her to score her first T20I hundred at Trent Bridge.

"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'," said Smriti at the conclusion of the game.

When she got her hundred to set the base for India’s thumping 97-run win over England and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, Smriti became just the second India batter to score a century in Women's T20Is after Harmanpreet Kaur. She is also just the fifth female cricketer to register a hundred in all international formats after joining Heather Knight, Tammy Beaumont, Laura Wolvaardt, and Beth Mooney.

Smriti’s beaming smile and a thumbs up gesture towards the dressing room after reaching the century off just 51 balls was a moment of sheer joy, as well as of acknowledging Radha’s gentle nudge.

"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.

Another star for helping India hand England their heaviest T20I defeat was young left-arm spinner N Shree Charani, who picked a four-wicket haul on her debut in the format. "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," she concluded.

--IANS

nr/bc