With the ICC Women’s World Championship 2025 approaching, Indian batting star Smriti Mandhana reminisced about past events. She recalled a memorable occasion from her initial World Championship participation in England, a competition that not only introduced her to the international scene but also dramatically reshaped the world of women’s cricket in India.
Smriti Mandhana shares memories of her first World Championship and special century
In a recent video shared by the ICC on Instagram, Smriti was questioned about her debut World Championship in England and the century she achieved against West Indies in Taunton. She reflected on the cherished memories of that competition. She remembered World Championship 2017 not only boosted her self-assurance but also represented a critical juncture for women’s cricket in India. Smriti further elaborated on how the team’s journey to the final captivated the interest of supporters back home and motivated a new cohort to develop an interest in the women’s sport. For her personally, that century at Taunton remains one of the most significant innings of her career, signifying strength and conviction following a difficult injury period.
“I mean, the memories of the tournament, you can still go back to it in like five minutes. It’s that sort of a memory, it’s that fresh because that’s a World Championship which changed a lot of things for women’s cricket in India. Yeah, my first century, I mean, in that World Championship at Taunton was a little more than just a century because I just came off an ACL injury. I didn’t know would I fit in? What will happen? Would I be able to be doing the way I was doing before the injury? But to come out and get a century, I mean, that was really nice and one of the best memories we all have created in that World Championship,” Smriti expressed in the video.
Here’s the video:
Team India’s impressive yet disappointing performance in the Women’s World Championship 2017
India’s women’s cricket team had an exceptional showing in the ICC Women’s World Championship 2017 , but their ambition for a first title concluded in a painful nine-run loss to England in the final at Lord’s. The squad demonstrated remarkable fortitude and skill throughout the competition, capturing the country’s attention. A prominent performer was opener Smriti , who made a rapid start. Across 9 matches, she amassed 232 runs at an impressive strike rate of 94.31. Her tournament highlight was a century but a subsequent decrease in form contributed to India’s difficulties in the later phases. Despite the final defeat, their campaign signified a noteworthy turning point for women’s cricket in India.
This article was initially available at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times entity.
