STAND-IN captain Smriti Mandhana hit a scintillating century (112 off 62 balls) while left-arm spinner N Shree Charani, with figures of 4/12, made a dream debut as India Women crushed England Women by 97 runs in the opening T20I at Nottingham on Saturday.
Mandhana's maiden century in T20 internationals guided India to 210/5, India's second-highest total in T20Is, after being asked to bat first.
The 28-year-old's 112 was also the highest individual score for an Indian in WT20Is.
In reply, the hosts, despite Nat Sciver-Brunt's 42-ball 66, lost wickets at regular intervals and were eventually bowled out for 113 in 14.5 overs. Shree Charani was the destructor-in-chief with the ball as she accounted for four wickets, including the big wicket of Sciver-Brunt.
Mandhana, who was deservedly adjudged the Player of the Match, was in her element as she tore apart the England bowling attack. The left-handed batter punished the likes of Em Arlott, Linsey Smith and Sophie Ecclestone and reached the three-figure mark in 51 balls. The Mumbai-born batter's innings included as many as 15 fours and three sixes. Mandhana's splendid innings finally came to an end in the final over. This was incidentally England's heaviest defeat in this format.
Brief scores: India 210/5 in 20 ovs (Mandhana 112, Harleen 43; Bell 3/27) bt England 113 in 14.5 ovs (Sciver-Brunt 66; Shree Charani 4/12) by 97 runs.