Indian cricket has another golden milestone to celebrate. Smriti Mandhana has become the highest run-scorer in Women’s T20I history, surpassing New Zealand legend Suzie Bates during India’s Asian Games 2026 semi-final against Bangladesh in Nagoya, Japan.
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Smriti Mandhana’s Record-Breaking Moment
Opening the innings after India won the toss, Mandhana needed just eight runs to overhaul Bates’ long-standing tally of 4,758 runs. She reached the landmark inside the third over, striking a boundary off pacer Marufa Akter to move to 4,759 — achieved in her 171st innings, compared to Bates’ 178. She eventually fell for 37 off 19 balls, studded with five fours and two sixes.
The Top of the Charts
| Rank | Player | Runs |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smriti Mandhana (India) | 4,765 |
| 2 | Suzie Bates (New Zealand) | 4,758 |
| 3 | Harmanpreet Kaur (India) | 4,287 |
| 4 | Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka) | 4,282 |
| 5 | Sophie Devine (New Zealand) | 3,817 |
A Season of Milestones
This is far from Mandhana’s only landmark in 2026. Earlier this month, she overtook Mithali Raj to become the leading run-scorer in women’s international cricket across all formats, and also claimed the record for most centuries in women’s international cricket. She additionally became the first Indian woman to hit 100 sixes in T20Is and remains the fastest woman to reach 10,000 international runs.
Why It Matters
India now await the winner of Sri Lanka vs Pakistan to determine their Asian Games gold medal opponent, with Mandhana’s historic knock adding fresh momentum to India’s campaign. Her consistency across formats continues to cement her legacy as one of the greatest to ever play the women’s game.
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