Smriti Mandhana becomes leading run-scorer in women’s T20Is

India opener Smriti Mandhana became the leading run-scorer in women’s T20Is, surpassing New Zealand great Suzie Bates’ tally of 4,758 runs during India’s Asian Games semifinal against Bangladesh, here on Sunday.

The 30-year-old elegant left-hander needed seven runs to break the record as she reached the landmark in the third over, hammering Bangladesh pacer Marufa Akter for back-to-back boundaries off the final two deliveries of the over. Mandhana eventually made a 19-ball 37, smashing five fours and two sixes, before her quickfire cameo ended on the final ball of powerplay.

Trying to finish the powerplay with another maximum, Mandhana miscued a slog sweep off Akter and was caught by Sobhana Mostary at deep mid-wicket.

By then she had already taken the record outright, moving to the top of the women’s T20I run charts with 4,788 runs.

Suzie Bates (4,758) and Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (4,287) and Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu (4,282)

Mandhana’s record also means India now have two batters in the top five of the women’s T20I run-getters, with captain Harmanpreet third on the list.

The left-hander is also the leading run-scorer in women’s international cricket across formats.

She recently surpassed former India captain Mithali Raj’s tally of 10,868 runs during the Women’s Asia Cup. Mandhana now has 10,987 international runs across formats — 788 in Tests, 5,411 in ODIs and 4,788 in T20Is. Bates is third on the all-format list with 10,740 runs.

Mandhana also holds the record for most international centuries in women’s cricket, having taken the record outright with a century against Hong Kong, China, in the group stage of the recent Women’s Asia Cup.

Her explosive start against Bangladesh also powered India to one of their fastest T20I powerplays. India’s score at the end of the powerplay was their fourth-highest in women’s T20Is, behind 77 for no loss against the West Indies in 2019, 75 for four against Sri Lanka in 2018 and 73 for two against England earlier this year.

India opted to bat against Bangladesh and the winners will face Sri Lanka in the final. The Islanders defeated Pakistan by eight wickets earlier in the day here.