Smriti Mandhana, India’s opener and vice-captain, scripted history on Thursday as she surpassed former captain Mithali Raj to become the highest run-scorer in women’s international cricket across all three formats.
Her knock not only took her past Mithali but also saw her break several other records on a memorable evening in Dubai. The knock was also Mandhana’s second century in Women’s T20Is. She became the first Indian woman to score two T20I centuries, adding another significant achievement to an already remarkable career. Passing the baton from Mithali Raj to Smriti Mandhana cements a dominant era of Indian batting at the summit of the global game. With the Women’s Asia Cup still underway, Mandhana has already made the tournament a memorable one – and she now has a new record at the very top of the women’s international game.
The 30-year-old Mandhana reached the milestone in style during India’s Women’s Asia Cup 2026 clash against Hong Kong at the Dubai International Stadium. Entering the match needing 113 runs to surpass Mithali Raj’s long-standing tally of 10,868 runs, Smriti delivered a batting masterclass. The Indian vice-captain eventually smashed 124 runs off 64 balls, including 14 fours and seven sixes, helping India post a formidable 193/5 in 20 overs. Mandhana entered the Hong Kong game with 10,756 runs, having moved past New Zealand legend Suzie Bates during India’s Asia Cup opener against Thailand. She needed just 113 runs to overtake Mithali’s mark. Her 124 also became the highest individual score in the Women’s T20 Asia Cup, surpassing Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu, who had scored 119 against Malaysia in 2024.
