New Delhi: India’s vice captain Smriti Mandhana etched her name in the record books by becoming the highest run scorer in T20 Internationals among Indians, surpassing Rohit Sharma. The landmark was reached during the opening match of the series against South Africa women’s national cricket team in Durban.
Mandhana entered the match level with Rohit Sharma’s tally of 4,231 runs and overtook the mark with a single early in her innings. She went on to score 13 runs, taking her total to 4,244 runs from 155 innings, further cementing her place among the game’s leading batters.
On the global stage, Mandhana now stands as the second highest run scorer in women’s T20 Internationals, behind Suzie Bates, who leads the chart. Among men, the top spot is held by Babar Azam.
Despite the personal milestone, the match result went against India women’s national cricket team, who suffered a six wicket defeat. Batting first, India posted 157 for 7, with captain Harmanpreet Kaur leading the scoring with an unbeaten 47. Mandhana and Shafali Verma had earlier provided a solid start, putting together a 46 run opening partnership.
In response, South Africa chased down the target with one ball remaining. Captain Laura Wolvaardt scored a composed half century, while Annerie Dercksen contributed an unbeaten 44 to guide the hosts to victory.
India’s bowling unit struggled to maintain discipline, conceding several extras which proved costly in a closely contested match. With the hosts leading 1-0 in the five match series, India will aim to bounce back in the next encounter at the same venue.
