During the fourth T20I against Sri Lanka in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, December 28, India vice captain Smriti Mandhana became the fastest woman in international cricket to amass 10,000 runs. She smashed the previous record set by former India captain Mithali Raj (291 innings), taking 10 fewer.
The left-handed batsman reached the milestone with 80 runs off 48 balls, including three sixes and 11 boundaries. She needed 27 runs to reach the unusual milestone and scored a single off Nimasha Madushani in India’s sixth over to join the select list.
Aside from Mandhana and Raj, only two other female hitters have scored 10,000 runs in international cricket. They are Charlotte Edwards, former England captain, and Suzie Bates, a New Zealand batter.
Mandhana is the second leading run-scorer in T20Is, scoring 4,102 runs in 156 games with a century and 32 half centuries. She has also notched up 5322 runs in 117 ODIs, with the help of 14 hundreds and 34 half-centuries. The buccaneering opener has also scored 629 in seven Tests, with two hundreds and three half centuries.
The Mumbai cricketer is now behind Mithali Raj (10,868), Suzie Bates (10,652) and Charlotte Edwards* (10,273) for the most runs in international cricket overall. The 29-year-old is expected to retire as the highest run-scorer in women’s cricket.
She became the sixth quickest player in both men’s and women’s cricket to 10,000 runs eclipsing West Indies stalwart Chris Gayle (282 innings) and ex-India captain Rahul Dravid (287 innings). As per Wisden, Virat Kohli is still the fastest to 10000 runs and he achieved it in just 205 innings.
Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma script history with 3,000 partnership runs
Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma added a women’s T20I record 162 for the opening wicket to become the first pair with 3,000 runs in women’s T20Is, India posted 221/2 against Sri Lanka in fourth T20I. Apart from Mandhana, Shafali made 79 off 46 balls with the help of one six and 12 fours. Later, Richa Ghosh and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur knocked off some quick runs towards the end to remain unbeaten on 40 (16) and 16 (10) respectively.
Sri Lanka responded by scoring 95/1 after 10 overs. The Women in Blue lead the five-match T20I series 3-0.
