Mandhana Steps Up as Captain, Delivers Stunning T20I Hundred

By Mehr Jan

Smriti Mandhana was thrust into the captain’s role just two hours before the first T20I when Harmanpreet Kaur was ruled out after a head injury in a warm-up game. 

Despite the abrupt promotion, she anchored India’s innings with 112 runs, setting up a 97-run victory that gave India the early advantage in the series.

“As a batter, it doesn't change a lot. You don't think that you are captaining and you bat differently,” she said. “Whenever you have the bat in hand, you have to do the job for the team regardless of the position you are in, so I'm really happy that I could contribute today.”

The innings was Mandhana’s first century in T20 internationals, adding to her hundreds in Tests and One-Day Internationals. But she was candid about the extra effort required to succeed in the shortest format.

“It's a nice feeling because, of course, this format is something which, for me as a batter, I need to keep pushing and keep improving,” she said. “It's not a very natural format for me because I like to time the ball, not a big hitter of the ball, and for the last six years, it's always a work in progress and it's still a work in progress.”

Embracing a Work in Progress

Mandhana stressed that her hundred was especially meaningful given T20I cricket’s demands for power hitting, which she’s actively trying to master.

“So to actually get a hundred in this format… is pretty special because it's not one of my strengths. I mean, the improvement and I'm trying to work a lot on my power hitting and to see that come through, which is a really nice feeling.”

Mandhana’s century was more than a personal landmark; it underscored her commitment to evolve and expand her game. As India eyes T20I success, their stand-in captain has shown she can not only shoulder the team’s expectations but also reshape her own approach to meet the format’s demands.