After a slow start, Mandhana has found her rhythm in World Cup

Left-hander struggled to begin with but come the business end, she is showing her true colours

- Sanjjeev K Samyal

If one is travelling by a Mumbai local train these days, the posters of Smriti Mandhana splashed on most of the compartments, promoting a nationalised bank along with MS Dhoni, are unmissable. And in this ICC Women's World Cup, the India vice-captain's brand has only become bigger.

After leading India into the semifinals with a superb, entertaining century on Thursday against New Zealand at Navi Mumbai's DY Patil Stadium, her popularity has soared even further.

She was named Player of the Match for her 109 off 95 balls, including 10 fours and four sixes. The hundred came after an 80 against Australia and 88 against England, albeit in losing causes.

On current form and her proven record, clearly she is India's biggest match-winner along with captain Harmanpreet Kaur.

Naturally, a slow start of 8, 23 and 23 in her first three matches affected the side's performance and had the team's followers worried. But with three sizzling knocks, the stylish opening batter has hit form at the right time. More importantly, her runs have come against three of the strongest teams in the tournament.

The importance of peaking at the right time in big tournaments can't be emphasised enough and Mandhana, thankfully for India, has really come into her own at the business end.