Smriti Mandhana slipped a single to long-on during the fourth T20I against Sri Lanka in Mumbai and, with it, became only the fourth woman – and the quickest – to reach 10,000 runs in international cricket.
The India vice-captain arrived at the landmark in her 281st innings. By comparison, Mithali Raj needed 291, Charlotte Edwards 308 and Suzie Bates 314. Raj’s 10,868 runs still top the overall list, followed by Bates (10,652) and Edwards (10,273), but Mandhana’s trajectory suggests those figures are within sight.
“It’s not something I think about when I go out to bat,” Mandhana told the host broadcaster afterwards. “If the runs help India win, that’s enough for me.”
Former England captain Edwards, on commentary duties, remarked, “Reaching 10,000 before the age of 30 is phenomenal. She’s setting new standards for consistency.” India coach Amol Muzumdar echoed that view: “Smriti adapts to every format without altering her core game. That’s rare.”
The milestone crowns a prolific year. During India’s triumphant World Cup campaign, Mandhana became the first woman to score 1,000 ODI runs in a single calendar year, ending 2025 with 1,362. She registered five ODI hundreds – a tally matched only by South Africa’s Tazmin Brits and Laura Wolvaardt – and averaged just under 50.
Earlier on this Sri Lanka tour she crossed 4,000 T20I runs, leaving only Bates (4,716) ahead of her. Her current T20I strike-rate of 131 is the highest among the game’s leading run-scorers.
Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu was quick to pay tribute. “You can set any field you like; she still finds the gaps. That’s why she’s world-class,” she said at stumps.
The series finale takes place on Wednesday. Win or lose, Mandhana’s numbers, and the composed manner in which she has gathered them, already feel the more enduring headline.
