Smriti Mandhana etched her name into cricket history on Thursday, September 4, 2026. India’s vice-captain overtook legendary former captain Mithali Raj to become the highest run-scorer in women’s international cricket across all formats. She reached this landmark during India’s Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Group A match against Hong Kong at the Dubai International Stadium.
Mandhana achieved the feat in spectacular fashion, smashing 124 runs off just 64 balls. Her innings included 14 fours and seven sixes, and she batted at a strike rate of 193.75. This single knock didn’t just break Mithali Raj’s career runs record; it also toppled several other cricketing milestones along the way.
Quick Facts: Smriti Mandhana’s Record-Breaking Innings
- Achievement: Highest run-scorer in women’s international cricket, all formats
- Date: Thursday, September 4, 2026
- Match: India vs Hong Kong, Women’s Asia Cup 2026, Group A
- Venue: Dubai International Stadium
- Innings: 124 runs off 64 balls
- Strike rate: 193.75
- Boundaries: 14 fours, 7 sixes
- New career total: 10,880 international runs
- Previous record (Mithali Raj): 10,868 runs
- Margin of the new record: 12 runs
- Career international centuries: 18th century (new world record, surpassing Meg Lanning’s 17)
- Mandhana’s age: 30
How Smriti Mandhana Broke the Record
India batted first after being asked to bat by Hong Kong. Shafali Verma opened the innings alongside Mandhana, and the pair added 74 runs together before Verma fell for a well-made 28 off 17 balls, an innings that included three fours and two sixes.
Once the powerplay ended, Mandhana shifted gears completely. She began dominating the Hong Kong bowling attack, racing to her century and pushing well past it as India’s innings progressed. India completed their full 20 overs, finishing on 193 for 5. Her 124-run knock became the standout performance of the match, powering India to a commanding total.
Smriti Mandhana’s Record Innings: Key Numbers at a Glance
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Runs scored | 124 |
| Balls faced | 64 |
| Strike rate | 193.75 |
| Fours | 14 |
| Sixes | 7 |
| New career total | 10,880 runs |
The New All-Time Top Five Run-Scorers List
Mandhana’s innings reshuffled the record books at the very top of women’s international cricket. She now leads the all-time list with 10,880 runs, followed closely by Mithali Raj in second place.
The current top five run-scorers in women’s international cricket now stand as follows:
- Smriti Mandhana (India): 10,880 runs
- Mithali Raj (India): 10,868 runs
- Suzie Bates (New Zealand): 10,740 runs
- Charlotte Edwards (England): 10,273 runs
- Stafanie Taylor (West Indies): 10,007 runs
More Records Fell in the Same Innings
Mandhana’s knock against Hong Kong didn’t stop at the career runs record. In the same innings, she also set a new benchmark for the highest individual score in Women’s T20 Asia Cup history, surpassing Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu, whose unbeaten 119 against Malaysia in Dambulla in 2024 had previously held that record.
The 124 also marked Mandhana’s second T20 International century, following her earlier 112 against England in 2025. With this innings, she became the first Indian woman to score two T20I centuries. Harmanpreet Kaur remains the only other Indian woman to have scored a T20I century, with her 103 against New Zealand at the 2018 T20 World Cup.
Beyond the T20I-specific record, this century also carried much broader significance. It marked Mandhana’s 18th century in international cricket across all formats, Tests, ODIs, and T20Is combined. This tally set a new world record for the most centuries scored in women’s international cricket history, surpassing former Australia captain Meg Lanning’s previous mark of 17.
Mithali Raj’s Reaction
Mithali Raj responded warmly to being overtaken, congratulating Mandhana publicly on social media platform X. She praised Mandhana’s growth from a young player into one of the finest batters India has produced, and expressed pride in watching her surpass the record.
This gracious reaction reflects the mutual respect between two generations of Indian women’s cricket. Raj’s own record had stood for years as the benchmark for excellence in the format, and her congratulatory message highlighted the significance of passing that mantle on to Mandhana.
Well deserved, @mandhana_smriti ! I’ve watched you grow from a young player into one of the finest batters India has produced. To see you go past my record and become the highest run-scorer in international cricket is a moment I’m genuinely proud of. Here’s to many more runs and…
— Mithali Raj (@M_Raj03) September 3, 2026
Why This Record Matters
Records like this one carry weight well beyond individual statistics. Mithali Raj’s run tally had represented the accumulated achievement of a career that helped establish women’s cricket’s growing popularity and professionalism in India. Mandhana surpassing that mark signals the continued rise of a new generation of Indian batters building on the foundation Raj and her contemporaries helped lay.
Given that Mandhana is still only 30 years old and remains an active member of India’s squad, she is well-positioned to extend this new record considerably further in the years ahead, potentially putting the milestone out of reach for some time to come.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
About the Record
Smriti Mandhana became the highest run-scorer in women’s international cricket across all formats, overtaking Mithali Raj’s previous record of 10,868 runs.
She achieved the milestone on Thursday, September 4, 2026, during India’s Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Group A match against Hong Kong at the Dubai International Stadium.
She scored 124 runs off 64 balls, hitting 14 fours and seven sixes at a strike rate of 193.75.
Her career runs total now stands at 10,880 runs in women’s international cricket across all formats.
She surpassed Raj’s previous record of 10,868 runs by 12 runs, taking her own tally to 10,880.
Other Records and Reactions
The top five are Smriti Mandhana (10,880 runs), Mithali Raj (10,868), Suzie Bates of New Zealand (10,740), Charlotte Edwards of England (10,273), and Stafanie Taylor of West Indies (10,007).
Yes. She also set the record for the highest individual score in Women’s T20 Asia Cup history, surpassing Chamari Athapaththu’s unbeaten 119, and became the first Indian woman to score two T20I centuries. The innings also gave her 18 international centuries across all formats, a new world record surpassing Meg Lanning’s previous mark of 17.
Mithali Raj congratulated Mandhana on social media, praising her growth as a player and expressing pride in her achievement.
India posted a total of 193 for 5 after being asked to bat first, with Mandhana’s 124 forming the backbone of the innings alongside a 74-run opening partnership with Shafali Verma.
Mandhana is 30 years old and remains an active member of India’s women’s cricket team, meaning she could extend this record further in the coming years.
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