A first T20I century for Mandhana sent all the right messages for the India women's tour of England.
No Harmanpreet Kaur, no problem. Standing in as captain at just two-hours' notice after Harmanpreet failed to recover in time from a head knock suffered during a warm-up game, Mandhana laid down a marker for her side in a massive 97-run victory - England's heaviest defeat in the format - to begin the series.
With opening partner Shafali Verma making a tentative return to the T20I side after falling out of favour, Mandhana took control right through to the final over of India's innings, facing 62 balls as she helped her side to their second-highest total in T20Is at the time, 210 for 5.
The picture of elegance, as ever, Mandhana provided moments of pure destruction too, clearing the fences three times in all, twice in one Sophie Ecclestone over - the seventh of the match - when she truly stamped her authority on the game.
Key moment
Mandhana had already deposited a Lauren Filer short ball several rows back in the stands for her third maximum. When Filer returned for her final over, Mandhana pierced extra cover with authority for the second of back-to-back fours to equal her best T20I score, 87. From there, it felt like the impending hundred was in reach. Sure enough, consecutive boundaries off Lauren Bell delivered it, followed by a very pointed celebration.
The numbers
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5 With this innings Mandhana became the fifth woman - and first from India - to score a century in all three formats.
7 Number of times Mandhana had reached 50 in her 12 T20I innings before this one.
What they said
"Three days back, me and Radha Yadav, we were having a conversation… 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'. I was like, 'Okay, Radha, this time I'll try and get it in one of the matches in the series.' I did not think that it would come in the first match, but the finger [I pointed after the landmark] was towards her: 'See, I got it today.'"
- Smriti Mandhana directed her century celebration at the team-mate who had egged her on
- Smriti Mandhana directed her century celebration at the team-mate who had egged her on
The closest contender
Hayley Matthews
100 not out vs England, first T20I, Canterbury
In scoring nearly 70% of West Indies' total of 146 for 7 by herself, with some impeccable shot placement, Matthews underlined the extent to which her side relied on her for runs, particularly in the absence of Deandra Dottin and Chinelle Henry. She entered the final over needing 11 to reach her century and she got there via a mistimed pull off the last ball for a hastily sprinted single. Only two of her team-mates reached double figures in an eight-wicket defeat. England went on to sweep the series 3-0, but Matthews was the leading run-scorer, with 177 runs.
100 not out vs England, first T20I, Canterbury
In scoring nearly 70% of West Indies' total of 146 for 7 by herself, with some impeccable shot placement, Matthews underlined the extent to which her side relied on her for runs, particularly in the absence of Deandra Dottin and Chinelle Henry. She entered the final over needing 11 to reach her century and she got there via a mistimed pull off the last ball for a hastily sprinted single. Only two of her team-mates reached double figures in an eight-wicket defeat. England went on to sweep the series 3-0, but Matthews was the leading run-scorer, with 177 runs.