Smriti Mandhana took another step forward in her international career with a century against Hong Kong China in the Women’s Asia Cup 2026. The Indian batsman scored 124 runs off 64 balls on Thursday, September 3, helping India win by 137 runs in Dubai.
The comprehensive win also made India the first team to qualify for the semifinals of the Women’s Asia Cup 2026. Mandhana’s explosive innings was a key to India’s second consecutive win in Group A, and the left-handed batsman had one of the most memorable performances of the tournament.
Mandhana hammered 14 fours and seven sixes in her 124-run innings. Her aggressive batting put the Hong Kong China bowlers under constant pressure and helped India post a commanding total. But the century was significant not only because of the match-winning contribution but also because it brought with it a major world record.
In four different calendar years, Indian star Mandhana became the first player in the world to score more than 500 runs in Women’s T20 Internationals.
Mandhana has played 16 WT20I matches in 2026 and scored 579 runs so far. She had crossed the 500-run mark in 2018, 2022, and 2024. She scored 622 runs in 25 matches in 2018, followed by 594 runs in 23 matches in 2022.
Her most productive year in WT20Is was 2024 when she scored 763 runs in 23 matches. With 579 runs already in 16 games in 2026, Mandhana has once again shown her ability to perform consistently in the shortest format of international cricket.
Smriti Mandhana in T20Is: Year-by-Year Record
| Year | Matches | Runs | Best Score | Average | Strike Rate | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 1 | 39 | 39 | 39.00 | 108.33 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 2014 | 7 | 95 | 52 | 15.83 | 106.74 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 0 |
| 2015 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2.00 | 50.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | 17 | 286 | 43* | 19.06 | 93.46 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 3 |
| 2018 | 25 | 622 | 83 | 28.27 | 130.67 | 0 | 5 | 77 | 18 |
| 2019 | 14 | 405 | 86 | 31.15 | 124.61 | 0 | 4 | 54 | 8 |
| 2020 | 9 | 265 | 66 | 29.44 | 134.51 | 0 | 2 | 41 | 3 |
| 2021 | 9 | 255 | 70 | 31.87 | 131.44 | 0 | 2 | 37 | 4 |
| 2022 | 23 | 594 | 79* | 33.00 | 133.48 | 0 | 5 | 89 | 13 |
| 2023 | 18 | 433 | 87 | 27.06 | 116.39 | 0 | 3 | 55 | 8 |
| 2024 | 23 | 763 | 77 | 42.38 | 126.53 | 0 | 8 | 104 | 16 |
| 2025 | 9 | 341 | 112 | 37.88 | 135.85 | 1 | 2 | 50 | 7 |
| 2026 | 16 | 579 | 124 | 38.60 | 145.84 | 1 | 3 | 76 | 15 |
A total of four other players have managed to score at least 500 WT20I runs in three different calendar years. The list includes Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu, South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt, UAE batter Esha Oza, and India’s Shafali Verma.
However, Mandhana is the only player to achieve the feat in four different calendar years. Athapaththu reached the 500-run mark in 2022, 2024, and 2026, while Oza achieved the milestone in 2022, 2024, and 2025.
Shafali Verma also reached 500 runs in three separate calendar years, while Laura Wolvaardt has maintained impressive consistency for South Africa. Despite their achievements, none of the four players have matched Mandhana's record of four 500-plus WT20I years.
Players to Score 500 WT20I Runs in Three or More Calendar Years
| Player | Country | Matches | Runs | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smriti Mandhana | India | 25 | 622 | 2018 |
| 23 | 594 | 2022 | ||
| 23 | 763 | 2024 | ||
| 16 | 579 | 2026 | ||
| Chamari Athapaththu | Sri Lanka | 21 | 535 | 2022 |
| 21 | 720 | 2024 | ||
| 16 | 533 | 2026 | ||
| Esha Oza | UAE | 25 | 675 | 2022 |
| 20 | 711 | 2024 | ||
| 22 | 779 | 2025 | ||
| Shafali Verma | India | 23 | 544 | 2022 |
| 20 | 531 | 2024 | ||
| 18 | 531 | 2026 | ||
| Laura Wolvaardt | South Africa | 19 | 586 | 2023 |
| 19 | 673 | 2024 | ||
| 19 | 673 | 2026 |
Mandhana’s century against Hong Kong China also added to her growing list of achievements in women’s international cricket. She reportedly broke records for the most runs and centuries in women’s international cricket during the match.
The Indian batter now has 93 scores of 50 or more in 302 international matches across formats. She has matched former India captain Mithali Raj, who also recorded at least 50 runs in 93 international matches during her illustrious career spanning from 1999 to 2022.
While Mandhana has created history with her consistency across multiple calendar years, the record for the most WT20I runs in a single calendar year is held by Hong Kong China batter Natasha Miles. Miles has scored 799 runs in 26 WT20I matches in 2026, the highest tally recorded by any player in a calendar year.
Interestingly, Miles was Hong Kong China’s top scorer against India, making 15 runs off 27 balls. UAE’s Esha Oza follows with 779 runs scored in 2025, while Hong Kong China’s Yasmin Daswani has accumulated 766 runs in 2026.
Mandhana’s latest century, however, has placed her at the center of another historic milestone. Her ability to consistently score heavily across different years has made her one of the most reliable performers in women’s international cricket.
With India already qualifying for the semifinals, Mandhana’s form will be crucial as the team continues its campaign for the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 title. If she maintains her current momentum, more records could follow for the Indian batting superstar.
