Smriti Mandhana is truly in a league of her own. When the pressure is at its highest, the “Queen of Indian Cricket” simply finds another gear. In a high-stakes series decider against Australia, Mandhana’s batting masterclass didn’t just win a game; it broke a decade-long drought and handed India a historic 2-1 T20I series triumph on Australian soil.
From the moment she stepped onto the crease, Mandhana looked like a woman on a mission. After the early loss of Shafali Verma, she took complete control of the narrative, smashing a sensational 82 off just 55 balls. Her innings was a perfect blend of elegance and aggression, featuring eight boundaries and three towering sixes. The highlight was her 33rd international fifty, brought up with a disdainful flick over the ropes off Darcie Brown.
Alongside Jemimah Rodrigues (59), Smriti stitched together a massive 121-run partnership that took the game away from the world champions. By the time she departed in the 17th over, the damage was done, and India’s total of 176 proved too steep for the Aussies, who fell 17 runs short despite a late fightback.
The internet, expectedly, has lost its collective mind. Here is how X (formerly Twitter) reacted to Smriti Mandhana’s clinical takedown of the Aussies:
”Smriti Mandhana owns 2026! Leading from the front: WPL champion & POTM in the final, then conquering Australia and starring in the series decider. Absolute royalty”, an user wrote on X.
MOST RUNS IN T20I INTERNATIONAL FOR INDIA IN HISTORY :
Rohit Sharma – 4231.
Smriti Mandhana – 4231*.
QUEEN 👑 FOR A REASON #SmritiMandhana pic.twitter.com/GGuq9Mj38e
— Akhand Talks Cricket (@AkhandSharma9) February 21, 2026
”Won the WPL as Captain. – POTM in WPL final. – Won the T20 Series in Australia. – POTM in T20 series decider. SMRITI MANDHANA IS RULING 2026”, another Indian fan posted.
@mandhana_smriti ….. pic.twitter.com/tsQZ8Jdqm7
— Frequent flyer (@Dreamer11235) February 21, 2026
”Smriti Mandhana turning Australia into her personal playground with that 82-run masterclass, series win sealed, when are the haters gonna stop sleeping on Indian women’s cricket bro?” an X user made a strong point.
