Star opening batter and Indian vice-captain Smriti Mandhana etched her name in cricket immortality, becoming the first female cricketer in the history of the sport to cross the monumental milestone of 11,000 international runs across all formats. She achieved the historic feat during a breathtaking knock of 79 runs off just 45 deliveries against Sri Lanka in the Asian Games final in Nagoya.
Mandhana’s fluent innings featured classic cover drives, exquisite lofted straight strokes, and commanding pull shots that dismantled the opposition bowling plans right from the powerplay overs. Her historic achievement spans across Test matches, One-Day Internationals, and Twenty20 Internationals, underscoring over a decade of remarkable consistency, athletic discipline, and world-class batting prowess on global stages.
Cricket luminaries, former players, and fans worldwide lauded Mandhana’s extraordinary achievement, hailing her as a generational trailblazer who has transformed the profile of women’s sports across the subcontinent. Speaking after receiving her gold medal, Mandhana expressed deep gratitude to her coaches, teammates, and supporters, affirming her resolve to continue winning championships for the country.
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Sources:
https://m.economictimes.com/news/sports/cricket/india-win-first-gold-at-asian-games-2026-as-womens-cricket-team-thrash-sri-lanka-by-147-runs/articleshow/134406617.cms