Smriti Mandhana honoured as Indian Sportswoman of the Year after landmark World Cup, WPL wins

The winners were decided by a distinguished grand jury comprising Leander Paes, Deepa Malik and Anju Bobby George.

Updated on: Feb 17, 2026, 10:27:58 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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Amid an unforgettable season in which she played a pivotal role in India’s historic 2025 Women’s World Cup triumph and lifted the Women’s Premier League (WPL) title for the second time as captain, star batter Smriti Mandhana was named the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year for 2025 at a glittering ceremony in New Delhi on Monday.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's captain Smriti Mandhana after the team won the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 final. (PTI)

The winners were decided by a distinguished grand jury comprising Leander Paes, Deepa Malik and Anju Bobby George.

Mandhana beat teammate and India captain Harmanpreet Kaur, chess sensation Divya Deshmukh, shooter Suruchi Singh and hurdler Jyothi Yarraji to clinch the award.

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However, Mandhana was not present to receive the honour as she is currently touring Australia with the Indian team for a multi-format bilateral series. In a video message, the India vice-captain said: “Thank you, BBC, for giving me the award for Best Sportswoman of the Year. 2025 was a special year for women’s cricket. Towards the end, we had a World Cup, and I’m happy I could contribute and help India win matches.”

The 29-year-old from Sangli, Maharashtra, took up the sport after being inspired by her father and brother, both of whom played cricket at the district level. Mandhana has already cemented her status as one of the greats of the game. She currently ranks second for most ODI centuries in women’s cricket and third among the all-time run-scorers.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old Deshmukh won the Emerging Player of the Year award for her historic FIDE Women’s World Cup triumph. Preethi Pal was named Para-Sportswoman of the Year after winning two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Paralympics in track and field. Anjali Bhagwat received the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her pioneering career as India’s first woman shooter to reach an Olympic final and her trailblazing success on the world stage.

BBC Star Performers of the Year:

Indian Women’s Cricket Team: for their historic World Cup victory

Ekta Bhyan, Deepthi Jeevanji and Preethi Pal: for their performances at the World Para Athletics Championship

Indian Women’s Cricket Team for the Blind: for their World Cup triumph

Indian Women’s Kabaddi Team: for their World Cup victory

BBC Changemakers of the Year:

Indian Women’s Ice Hockey Team: for breaking barriers in a non-traditional sport

Rajbir Kaur: former captain of the Indian women’s field hockey team

Savita Punia: Indian field hockey player and national team member

Paani Devi: for her contribution to grassroots sport

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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