Smriti Mandhana equals Mithali Raj’s big record and creates another history
Smriti Mandhana (Image credit: BCCI) NEW DELHI: Smriti Mandhana on Thursday added another major milestone to her already glittering international career when she equaled Mithali Raj’s record of 50-plus runs in women’s international cricket during India’s Women’s Asia Cup match against Hong Kong in Dubai.Mandhana brought up her half-century from 40 balls and reached the milestone in style by smashing Iqra Sahar over deep backward square leg for a six. It was her 93rd 50-plus score in women’s international cricket, bringing her level with legendary former India captain Mithali Raj at the top of the list.The milestone came during an innings in which Mandhana produced one of the most extraordinary T20I performances of her career.Mithali, who retired from international cricket in 2022, held the record outright with 93 scores of 50 or more across formats. Mandhana’s final half-century finally brought the Indian batting great to the side.England’s Charlotte Edwards is third on the list with 80 over 50 points, followed by New Zealand’s Suzie Bates with 79 and West Indies’ Stafanie Taylor and South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt with 74 points.Most scores over 50 in women’s international cricket
- 93 – Mithali Raj
- 93 – Smriti Mandhana
- 80 – Charlotte Edwards
- 79 – Suzie Bates
- 74 -Staffing Taylor
- 74 – Laura Wolvaardt
Mandhana agrees with Mithali and then shifts
After matching Mithali’s landmark, Mandhana turned her innings from controlled aggression to a stunning attack.The left-hander needed just 17 deliveries to move from 50 to 100, completing her second T20I century in just 57 balls.In the process, Mandhana became the first Indian woman to score two T20I centuries. She made her debut against England at Trent Bridge in 2025 when she made 112.Her latest hundred also took her to 18 centuries in women’s international cricket, moving ahead of Meg Lanning and Laura Wolvaardt, who each have 17.Mandhana eventually departed for the final after smashing 124 off 64 balls, with her spectacular innings featuring 14 fours and seven sixes.The knock also became the highest individual score in Women’s Asia Cup T20 history, surpassing Chamari Athapaththa’s unbeaten 119 against Malaysia in 2024.
Another record partnership with Shafali
Mandhana’s latest milestone also came along with another record involving her long-time partner Shafali Verma.The pair’s 50-plus partnership was their 29th in T20Is, comfortably the most of any pair in the format. UAE’s Esha Oza and Theertha Satish are tied for second with 23, while Australia’s Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney have 20.Across formats, Mandhana and Shafali have now registered 44 over 50 partnerships in women’s internationals. The next best pair are Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates from New Zealand with 37.Mandhana also strengthened her position at the top of the 50-plus score charts in women’s T20Is, with her latest effort taking her to 37. Australia’s Beth Mooney is next on 33.