Smriti Mandhana cemented her status among the sport's all-time greats by surpassing legendary former captain Mithali Raj to become the highest run-scorer in women's international cricket. Playing during India's Women's Asia Cup fixture against Hong Kong China in Dubai, the 30-year-old left-hander moved past Mithali's long-standing benchmark of 10,868 runs across all formats.
Mandhana engineered her milestone through a scintillating 124-run innings off 64 balls, anchoring India's total of 193/5 after being asked to bat first. The record-breaking performance further reinforced India's dominance in the tournament as their bowling attack subsequently restricted Hong Kong to a modest total to secure a comprehensive victory.
Surpassing Mithali Raj at the Top
Mithali Raj had held the record for international runs since her retirement in 2022, anchoring women's batting excellence with 10,868 runs across formats. Mandhana had already climbed to second place by overtaking New Zealand stalwart Suzie Bates during the Asia Cup opener against Thailand. With her knock in Dubai, Mandhana officially eclipsed Mithali's aggregate to claim the number-one spot.
Reflecting on her prolific performance and the milestones achieved, Mandhana expressed her primary focus during the mid-innings break. Having said that, I just love batting, and I’m happy that I could contribute, Mandhana said during the mid-innings break.
Unprecedented Century Milestone
Beyond the all-time run aggregate, Mandhana's knock yielded a cascade of historic achievements. Her second T20I century pushed her international hundred tally to 18, moving her past Australian great Meg Lanning and South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt, who each held 17 centuries. This feat established Mandhana as the leading century-maker in women's international cricket.
the explosive innings marked her second T20I hundred, making her the first Indian woman to reach multiple centuries in the shortest international format. Her previous century came against England in 2025 when she scored 112 runs. The latest masterclass also surpassed Chamari Athapaththu's 119 against Malaysia to register the highest individual score in Women's T20 Asia Cup history.
Record-Breaking Partnerships with Shafali Verma
The historic fixture also highlighted the enduring success of Mandhana's partnership with fellow opener Shafali Verma. The pair established another landmark by recording their 29th fifty-plus partnership in T20 internationals, extending their lead as the most prolific opening or batting pair in the format's history.
Across all formats, Mandhana and Verma have combined for 44 fifty-plus stands, maintaining a wide margin over international competitors. Their early 50-run stand against Hong Kong laid the foundation for the innings before Shafali fell for 28 off 17 deliveries, allowing Mandhana to accelerate through the middle and death overs.
Spin Blitz Seals Semi-Final Berth
India's clinical bowling performance complemented Mandhana's batting brilliance as their spin-heavy attack systematically dismantled Hong Kong's batting lineup. Deepti Sharma led the bowling figures with impressive figures of 3/9 from three overs, dismissing key contributors like Natasha Miles and Yasmin Daswani.
Additional bowling contributions from Nandani Sharma, Prema Rawat, and Shree Charani kept the pressure tight as Hong Kong collapsed to 56 all out in 16.2 overs. The 137-run victory secured India's progression to the semi-finals of the Women's Asia Cup in convincing fashion.
With major milestones achieved and the team advancing deeper into the tournament, Mandhana's record-setting form provides India with significant momentum. The team will look to carry this comprehensive performance forward as the knockout stages approach.
