Smriti Mandhana (Pic credit: BCCI)
During India’s Women’s Asia Cup 2026 clash against Hong Kong China in Dubai, the Indian vice-captain surpassed legendary former captain Mithali Raj ‘s tally of 10,868 international runs to become the highest run-scorer in women’s international cricket across all formats. Having already overtaken New Zealand great Suzie Bates to move into second place during the Asia Cup opener against Thailand, the 30-year-old needed one more major push to rewrite the all-time record. The 124 also became the highest individual score in Women’s T20 Asia Cup history, surpassing Chamari Athapaththu’s unbeaten 119 against Malaysia in 2024. Her previous hundred had come against England in 2025, when she made 112.
Mandhana entered the match knowing she was closing in on Mithali’s long-standing record. She also became the first Indian woman to score two T20I centuries. What made Thursday’s achievement even more remarkable was the manner in which Mandhana reached it. On a surface that offered little pace, she adapted her game, used the back foot effectively and found ways to manufacture boundaries.
NEW DELHI: Smriti Mandhana has already established herself among the finest batters in women’s cricket, but on Thursday she reached a new pinnacle — becoming the most prolific run-scorer in the history of the women’s game.
Mandhana Reflects on Mid-Innings Performance
During the mid-innings break, Smriti Mandhana expressed her satisfaction with her batting contributions in the match. “Having said that, I just love batting, and I’m happy that I could contribute,” she stated, highlighting her passion for the game.