Smriti Mandhana conquers women's cricket's biggest record, surpasses Mithali Raj in historic triple

Smriti Mandhana was the undisputed star for India in her demolition job, delivering a 64-ball masterclass comprising 14 boundaries and seven sixes.

Updated on: Sep 3, 2026, 21:57:51 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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Not one, but three records were taken down in one historic evening for Smriti Mandhana in Dubai on Thursday, including becoming the highest-ever run-scorer in women's international cricket as her knock of 124 powered India to 193 for five against Hong Kong in their Women's Asia Cup Group A match.

Smriti Mandhana is now the leading run-getter in women's international cricket (AFP)

Mandhana was the undisputed star for India in her demolition job, delivering a 64-ball masterclass comprising 14 boundaries and seven sixes.

As the Hong Kong bowlers struggled to hit the right length and line, while also being plagued by dropped catches, Mandhana capitalised on it to smash a record 124, en route to which she took down multiple records.

IND VS HKC Live Score, Women's Asia Cup 2026

This was her 93rd fifty-plus score in women's international cricket, equalling the legendary Mithali Raj at the top of the chart. Of that tally, 37 have come in the T20I format, which is already a record in women's cricket, with the next best being 33 by Beth Mooney.

She took 40 deliveries to reach her fifty and just 18 more to notch up her second career T20I century, the most by an Indian women's cricketer. Overall, it was her 18th century in international cricket, taking her past Australia's Meg Lanning and South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt, both of whom are tied at 17.

An over later, as she continued her dominance with a hat-trick of sixes, she surpassed Mithali's 10,868 runs yet again to become the leading run-scorer in women's international cricket. She now has 10,880 runs, with her 124-run knock also becoming the highest individual score by a batter in Women's Asia Cup history, going past Sri Lanka's Chamari Athapaththu, who scored 119 not out against Malaysia in Dambulla in 2024.

"I didn't know all of this happened. It's really hard for me to play slower bowlers, but credit to them. They were really disciplined in the powerplay. They bowled pretty well, and the kind of energy they showed was something which we all can learn from. Having said that, I just love batting, and I'm happy that I could contribute," Mandhana said in the mid-innings chat with the broadcaster while speaking about the records.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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