Smriti Mandhana the lone Indian in TIME magazine’s list of 100 most influential people in sports

Smriti Mandhana (Image credit: BCCI) NEW DELHI: India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana earned another prestigious accolade after being named in TIME magazine’s list of 100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026, emerging as the only Indian to feature in a star-studded global line-up.The annual list honors athletes, coaches, investors and supporters who are “shaping sports today.” Basketball legend LeBron James headlines this year’s event, which also features soccer icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, tennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz, golfer Rory McIlroy, skier Eileen Gu, NBA star Victor Wembanyama and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. South Africa captain Temba Bavuma and New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson are also among the notable names on the list.

Mandhana’s remarkable rise is gaining worldwide recognition

TIME magazine highlighted Mandhana’s remarkable achievements and described how “records keep breaking” for the Mumbai opener.The 29-year-old became the first Indian to score a double century in a domestic one-day game and the first batsman from the country to score a century in all three international formats. She also holds the joint record for most centuries in women’s international cricket with 17.Mandhana was also the first woman to score more than 1000 ODI runs in a calendar year.However, TIME noted that the left-handed batsman is most proud of the team’s achievements she has helped achieve.Mandhana captained Royal Challengers Bengaluru to the 2024 and 2026 Women’s Premier League titles and also served as vice-captain during India’s ICC Women’s ODI World Cup winning campaign last year, finishing as the tournament’s second highest run-scorer.Her extraordinary consistency saw her set the record for the most international runs by a woman across formats in 2024, before surpassing her own mark in 2025, which contributed to her being named the BBC’s Indian Sportswoman of the Year.

What aspect of Smriti Mandhana’s career resonates with you the most?

The latest honor places Mandhana in elite company and further underlines her growing status as one of the most influential figures in world sport and the leading face of Indian women’s cricket.