5 records held by Smriti Mandhana in international cricket
Smriti Mandhana showed terrific form with the bat during the recently concluded three-match T20I series against the West Indies. She played a key role while opening the innings, leading the side to a series win, India’s first on home soil in five years.
After winning the T20I series opener, team India lost the second game as the visitors leveled the series 1-1. Learning from their mistakes in the series decider, the Women in Blue put up a clinical performance to win the series 2-1. Mandhana notched up three consecutive half-centuries in the series, showcasing her dominant form throughout.
Here are five records that she holds in international cricket.
#5 Most fifties in WT20Is
Mandhana broke New Zealand cricketer Suzie Bates’ record of the most fifties scored in Women’s T20Is, getting to 30 half-centuries. She surpassed Bates' tally in the second game of the series.
Before the home T20I series against the West Indies, Mandhana had 27 fifties to her name, compared to Bates' 28. Mandhana hit 54, 62, and 77, respectively in the recently concluded three-match T20I series to get to 30 half-centuries.
#4 Most hundreds in a calendar year in WODIs
Before the ongoing home series against the Windies, India traveled to Australia for a three-match ODI series. The Aussies won the first two T20Is, sealing the series early with a game to spare.
In the final ODI at the Western Australia Cricket Association (WACA) Ground in Perth, Australia put up a 299-run target for the Women in Blue to chase. In reply, only Mandhana and Harleen Deol managed to register notable scores.
While Deol scored a 64-ball 39, the Indian vice-captain was terrific with the bat, hitting 105 off 109 deliveries. Mandhana’s knock included 14 fours and a lone six but her efforts went in vain as the hosts clinched a massive 83-run win.
#3 Most runs by an Indian woman in a bilateral T20I series
In the three T20Is against the Caribbean team, Smriti Mandhana accumulated 193 runs at an average of 64.33. She notched up three back-to-back half-centuries, scripting the record for the most runs scored by an Indian batter in a bilateral T20I series.
Before Mandhana, former India skipper Mithali Raj held the record, having notched up 192 runs in a three-match T20I series against South Africa in 2018. Mandana’s best knock in this series came in the third T20I.
Batting first, team India were dealt with an early blow as opening batter Uma Chetry was dismissed for a two-ball duck. But Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues did not let that affect their momentum as they went on to share a 98-run stand for the second wicket.
India eventually put up a record 217/4 on board as Mandhana top-scored with a 77-run knock.
#2 First female batter to hit 100 or more fours in a calendar year in T20Is
Smriti Mandhana will finish the 2024 calendar year with the most number of fours to her name in WT20Is. She scored 763 runs this year, including a whopping 104 fours, which made her the only women's player to hit over 100 boundaries in a calendar year.
West Indies captain Hayley Matthews follows Mandhana in the list, with 99 fours to her name from just 14 matches in the year 2023. The Caribbean all-rounder scored 700 runs last year at an average of 63.63.
#1 Most runs in a calendar year in WT20Is
During the three-match series against West Indies at home, Smriti Mandhana surpassed Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu to hold the record for the most runs scored by a batter in WT20Is in a calendar year.
Mandhana participated in 23 T20Is in 2024, including the Women’s T20 World Cup and the Women’s Asia Cup. In 21 innings, she accumulated 763 runs at an average of 42.38. While Athapaththu had 720 runs to her name, the three consecutive fifties against the Windies helped Mandhana surpass the former’s tally.