IND W vs ENG W: Yastika Bhatia scripts history, becomes first-ever woman to smash a Test ton at Lord's

Yastika Bhatia has officially conquered Lord's! On Day 3 of India's one-off Test against England, the elegant batter scripted history by becoming the first woman ever to score a Test hundred at the iconic Lord's stadium. It was a gritty, career-best performance from Bhatia, who brought up her maiden red-ball century off 145 deliveries, smashing 12 boundaries along the way.

Yastika Bhatia turns first woman cricketer to ever crack a Test ton at Lord's

The day could have started very differently, however. On the very first ball of the morning, England's Lauren Bell managed to clip Bhatia's off-stump, but the cricket gods were smiling as the bails refused to fall. Taking full advantage of the reprieve, Bhatia locked in to play a definitive, resolute knock. She now joins bowler Kranti Gaud—who took a magnificent five-wicket haul in the first innings—as the Indian stars writing their names onto the prestigious Lord’s honours board in this match.

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Yastika Bhatia celebrated her historic century with immense gratitude, lifting her bat and removing her helmet to soak in the applause at Lord’s. She then bowed to touch the pitch with her forehead and folded her hands in thanks, while the entire Indian contingent gave her a standing ovation from the balcony and dugout. The milestone officially guarantees her a coveted spot on the Lord’s honors board.

More milestones for Bhatia

The knock established a new national milestone, overtaking a 41-year-old record. Bhatia’s performance now stands as the highest individual score by an Indian batter in the second innings (third or fourth innings overall) of a Women’s Test, breaking Sandhya Agarwal’s previous record of 98 set against New Zealand in 1985.

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Furthermore, Bhatia entered the history books alongside an Indian cricket legend. She is now just the second Indian left-hander to score a Test century at the Home of Cricket, joining Sourav Ganguly, who hit a memorable 131 on his Test debut at Lord's in 1996.