Smriti Mandhana Makes History, Breaks Mithali Raj's International Run Record
On September 3, 2026, in Dubai, Smriti Mandhana scored 124 runs off 64 balls against Hong Kong, taking her total international run tally to 10,880 and surpassing Mithali Raj's record of 10,868 runs. Her innings featured 14 fours and 7 sixes, bringing her total number of international centuries to 18. By scoring 124 runs in the Women's T20 Asia Cup, she eclipsed Chamari Athapaththu's record of 119 runs. Additionally, she became the first Indian woman to score two T20 International centuries; her previous century was an unbeaten 112 against England in 2025.
In the Women's T20 Asia Cup match played between India and Hong Kong in Dubai on September 3, 2026, Smriti Mandhana played a magnificent innings of 124 runs off 64 balls. With this innings, her total international run tally reached 10,880. She surpassed the record of 10,868 international runs held by former Indian captain Mithali Raj.
Most Runs in Women's International Cricket
Mandhana has now become the highest run-scorer in women's international cricket. Other leading players in this list include Mithali Raj, New Zealand's Suzie Bates, England's Charlotte Edwards, and West Indies' Stafanie Taylor.
Multiple Records Set with 124-Run Innings
Mandhana hit 14 fours and 7 sixes during her 124-run knock. This marked the 18th century of her international career, comprising 14 centuries in ODIs, 2 in Tests, and 2 in T20 Internationals. With this achievement, she moved to the top of the list of players with the most centuries in women's international cricket.
New Highest Individual Score in Women's T20 Asia Cup
Mandhana set a new record for the highest individual score in the Women's T20 Asia Cup by scoring 124 runs. She surpassed the previous record of 119 runs held by Sri Lanka's Chamari Athapaththu. This achievement is also significant for Indian batting in the Women's T20 Asia Cup.
New Record for India in T20 International Cricket
With this century, Smriti Mandhana became the first Indian female player to score two T20 International centuries. Her previous T20 International century came against England in 2025, when she scored an unbeaten 112 runs.
Why is this important for UPSC?
This news is not limited to sports records alone. For UPSC, it relates to topics such as women's empowerment, the increasing participation of women in sports, the growth of women's cricket in India, international sports competitions, and gender equality in sports. Such facts can be useful in the context of Current Affairs, Essay, Ethics, and GS Paper-1 (Women and Society).
