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Smriti Mandhana creates historic T20I record
New Delhi: India's star opener Smriti Mandhana etched her name into the record books after achieving a feat never before accomplished in men's or women's T20 International cricket. The left-handed batter became the first player in T20I history to hit more than 600 fours, further cementing her status as one of the finest batters in the shortest format.
Mandhana reached the landmark during India's emphatic victory over the Netherlands in the ongoing Women's T20 World Cup 2026. Continuing her rich vein of form, the 29-year-old smashed a brilliant 74 off 47 deliveries, an innings studded with 11 boundaries and one six. The knock helped India register their second consecutive win of the tournament after opening their campaign with a victory over Pakistan.
With her latest innings, Mandhana's tally of boundaries in T20I cricket rose to 604 fours in 168 matches, making her the first cricketer across both men's and women's international T20 cricket to breach the 600-boundary mark.
Player of the Match award
Her outstanding performance also earned her the Player of the Match award. Speaking after the game, Mandhana credited her familiarity with conditions in Leeds, having previously played at the venue during The Hundred competition.
"It was a really good batting wicket with a quick outfield. I've played a few matches here in The Hundred, so I know the conditions quite well. Credit to the Netherlands as well; they played really good cricket today," Mandhana said during the post-match presentation.
Mandhana Revealed
She also revealed that India had spent considerable time studying their opponents, given the lack of previous encounters at this level.
"We hadn't seen much of them before, so we had to go through a lot of videos and prepare accordingly. It was unknown territory for all of us," she added.
India's dominant start to the tournament has strengthened their position in the race for the knockout stages. The Women in Blue will now face fellow powerhouse South Africa in a highly anticipated clash at Old Trafford, Manchester, on June 21.
With Mandhana in sublime touch and India's batting unit firing collectively, the team will head into the contest full of confidence as they continue their quest for a maiden Women's T20 World Cup title.
