Indian batter Yastika Bhatia creates history at historic Lord's

Indian batter Yastika Bhatia etched her name into cricketing folklore by becoming the first woman to score a Test century at Lord's. Scoring a brilliant 113 against England, she secured her spot on the prestigious honours board.

Bhatia reached this magical three-figure mark during India's second innings of the one-off Test. Historically, the Marylebone Cricket Club only allowed women to play at Lord's starting in 1976, making this maiden century an extraordinary breakthrough for the global game. She now joins an exclusive club of Indian legends, including Vinoo Mankad, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, and KL Rahul, who have conquered this famous venue.

Resuming her innings on 39 not out on the third day, she batted with incredible elegance and focus. She brought up her milestone off 145 balls with a beautiful drive through extra cover. Celebrating with a powerful punch in the air, her innings featured 14 crisp boundaries. England spinner Sophie Ecclestone eventually dismissed her on 113. As she walked off, Bhatia earned a standing ovation from MCC members and fans alike.

Dominant Position for Visitors

Returning from knee surgery earlier this year, Bhatia has shown immense resilience throughout this tour. Her magnificent century anchored India's formidable second-innings total of 341/7 declared. Smriti Mandhana added a solid 70 runs, while Richa Ghosh smashed an unbeaten 50 to accelerate the scoring rate.

India set England a highly challenging target of 457 runs to win. Earlier, Indian fast bowler Kranti Gaud took 5/37, becoming the first woman to claim a Test five-wicket haul at Lord's. Ecclestone matched this feat in the second innings. By stumps on Day 3, England stumbled to 130/6. The hosts still need 327 runs, putting India on the brink of a spectacular and famous victory.