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Today, July 18th, marks the 28th birthday of Smriti Mandhana, the shining star of Indian women’s cricket. Since her international debut in 2013, Smriti has swiftly gained recognition for her graceful batting technique and ability to thrive under pressure. Over her impressive 11-year career, she has garnered numerous personal and team achievements.
Having represented India in seven Tests, 85 ODIs, and 136 T20Is, Smriti has amassed a cumulative total of over 7500 runs. As we celebrate her special day, it’s fitting to highlight five standout accomplishments from Smriti Mandhana’s illustrious career.
WPL 2024 Victory
Earlier this year, Smriti Mandhana steered the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) title in a thrilling showdown against the Delhi Capitals. Overcoming a challenging group stage, Bengaluru bounced back with a crucial win over the Mumbai Indians in the playoffs to secure their spot in the final. Smriti’s pivotal innings of 31 runs in the championship match played a decisive role as Bengaluru clinched a resounding eight-wicket victory over perennial finalists Delhi.
Second cricketer to win two ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year awards.
Smriti Mandhana claimed her second Rachel Heyhoe-Flint Award, the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year, in 2021, adding to her first win in 2018. This achievement puts her alongside Australia’s Ellyse Perry in the exclusive club of two-time winners. Nat Sciver-Brunt of England joined them recently by winning consecutively in 2022 and 2023.
First Indian women’s cricketer to score centuries in both ODIs and Tests in Australia.
In 2016, Smriti Mandhana marked her debut ODI century with a blistering 102 runs off 109 balls against Australia in Hobart. Nearly five years later, she etched her name in history again by scoring 127 runs from 216 balls in the landmark Pink Ball Test in Australia, which included 22 boundaries and a six. Her century in Gold Coast in 2021 also made her the first Indian woman cricketer to achieve the milestone of scoring centuries in both ODI and Test formats on Australian grounds.
The first cricketer to achieve ten consecutive scores of 50-plus while chasing in ODI cricket.
In 2021, Smriti Mandhana showcased exceptional consistency, achieving a record-breaking feat of scoring 10 consecutive 50-plus scores while chasing in ODI cricket. Her dominance continued as she added her 18th half-century in the format against South Africa in Lucknow, further solidifying her reputation as one of the world’s most dependable women’s cricketers.
Asian Games 2023 Gold
Smriti Mandhana guided India to a gold medal victory at last year’s Asian Games, playing a pivotal innings of 46 runs in the final as India posted 116 runs batting first. Her standout performance proved decisive as India secured a narrow 19-run victory over Sri Lanka, clinching the gold medal in the women’s cricket event held in Hangzhou, China.
