India Crush England by 97 Runs as Mandhana Hits Historic Ton, Charani Shines on Debut

India kicked off their five-match T20I series against England with a commanding 97-run win at Nottingham on Saturday, thanks to a historic century from Smriti Mandhana and a fiery debut spell from young spinner Shree Charani. With the win, India now lead the series 1-0, with the second T20I scheduled for July 1 in Bristol.

Batting first after England opted to bowl, India piled on an imposing total of 210/5—marking their highest-ever T20I score on foreign soil and second-highest overall in the format. The innings was spearheaded by stand-in captain Mandhana, who smashed a breathtaking 112 off just 62 balls, striking 15 fours and three sixes at a strike rate of 180.65. Her innings, the highest individual T20I score by an Indian woman, saw 78 runs come via boundaries—another national record.

Mandhana became the first Indian woman to score centuries in all three international formats, joining a select global list of all-format centurions that includes England’s Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont, South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt, and Australia’s Beth Mooney. She is also just the second Indian woman after Harmanpreet Kaur to record a T20I century.

India’s innings was built on a 77-run opening stand between Mandhana and Shafali Verma (20 off 22), followed by a rapid 94-run second-wicket partnership with Harleen Deol, who chipped in with a brisk 43 off 23 balls. India made full use of the middle overs, hammering 124 runs between overs 7 to 16—their highest in that phase in T20I history. Lauren Bell was England’s most successful bowler, finishing with 3/27.

In response, England faltered early and never recovered. Openers Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt were dismissed cheaply as the hosts slipped to 9/2. Despite a brief 49-run stand between skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt (66 off 42) and Tammy Beaumont (10), the innings unraveled quickly.

Shree Charani announced her arrival on the international stage with figures of 4/12 in just 2.5 overs, becoming only the second Indian woman to take a four-wicket haul on T20I debut—following Sravanthi Naidu’s 4/9 in 2014. Radha Yadav (2/15) and Deepti Sharma (2/32) further tightened the noose, as England collapsed for 113 in 14.5 overs, handing India their biggest T20I win over England and England’s heaviest defeat by margin of runs in the format.

Mandhana was named Player of the Match for her record-breaking century, while Charani’s debut performance added a new layer of promise to India’s spin attack.