Smriti Mandhana created a special moment for women’s cricket with a superb 124 against Hong Kong in the Women’s T20 Asia Cup. Her innings did more than help India win the match. It took her past Mithali Raj as the highest run-scorer in women’s international cricket.
Mandhana reached 10,880 international runs across all three formats. The previous record belonged to former India captain Mithali Raj, who finished her international career with 10,868 runs. Mandhana went past that mark during her powerful knock in Dubai.
The achievement came on a big stage. India faced Hong Kong in their second Group A match of the Asia Cup. India won by 137 runs, secured a place in the semi-finals and also moved to the top of Group A.
Mandhana’s Brilliant 124
Mandhana walked out to open the Indian innings and soon took control of the match. She scored 124 runs from only 64 balls. Her innings had 14 fours and seven sixes.
The numbers show just how strong her performance was. She found the boundary with ease and kept the scoreboard moving at a fast rate. Hong Kong had some good moments with the ball at the start, but Mandhana soon changed the flow of the game.
Her partnership with Shafali Verma gave India a strong start. The pair added 74 runs from 47 balls before Verma fell for 28 runs. After that, Mandhana stayed at the crease and kept the pressure on the Hong Kong bowlers.
No other Indian batter crossed 11 runs, but Mandhana’s innings was enough to take India to a strong 193/5 in 20 overs.
A New World Record
The most important number from the match was not only 124. It was Mandhana’s total career score.
Before this match, Mithali Raj held the record for the most runs in women’s international cricket with 10,868. Mandhana crossed that figure and finished the day with 10,880 runs.
That means the 29-year-old has now moved to the top of one of the biggest records in women’s cricket.
Mithali Raj had a long and remarkable career for India. She became one of the most respected names in the sport and set a standard for future generations. Mandhana grew up watching her and has often spoken about her influence.
For Mandhana to pass the record set by someone she admired makes the moment even more special.
Another Record for Centuries
Mandhana did not stop with the run record. Her 124 also gave her another major milestone.
The century was her 18th international hundred. That took her past former Australia captain Meg Lanning and South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt, who both had 17 international centuries.
Mandhana is now the leading century-maker in women’s international cricket.
The achievement shows her value across formats. She has scored important runs for India in Tests, One-Day Internationals and T20 Internationals. She has also become the first Indian woman to score a century in all three formats.
Her Second T20I Century
The 124 was also Mandhana’s second T20I century.
Her first T20I hundred came last year. That century made her the first Indian batter to score a hundred across all three formats of women’s international cricket.
Now, she has added another T20I hundred to her record. The latest one came at a crucial time for India, as the team needed a strong result to move closer to the semi-finals of the Asia Cup.
Her ability to score quickly in the shortest format has made her one of India’s key batters. Against Hong Kong, she showed both power and control during her stay at the crease.
India Dominate Hong Kong
India’s batting gave the team a huge advantage, but the bowlers also played a major role in the result.
Hong Kong had to chase 194 to win. The target proved far too difficult. India dismissed Hong Kong for only 56 runs in 16.2 overs.
Deepti Sharma was the star with the ball. She took three wickets for nine runs. Sree Charani, Nandani Sharma and Prema Rawat also made useful contributions, with each of them taking two wickets.
India won by 137 runs, which became their second-largest victory in Women’s T20 International cricket. The result also confirmed India’s place in the Asia Cup semi-finals.
Mandhana Did Not Know About the Record
One of the most interesting parts of the story came after the match.
Mandhana said she did not know about the record while she was batting. She did not know the exact number of runs she needed to pass Mithali Raj.
Her focus was simply on the match and on helping India score as many runs as possible.
After the game, she spoke with humility about the achievement. She said Mithali had been a legend and a role model for her generation. Mandhana also said she never imagined that she would one day pass Mithali’s run total.
That reaction says a lot about the importance of Mithali’s career. The player who once inspired Mandhana is now the player whose record Mandhana has taken.
Respect for Mithali Raj
Mithali Raj also praised Mandhana after the record fell.
The former India captain congratulated her and spoke with pride about her progress from a young player to one of India’s finest batters.
Mandhana also spoke about Meg Lanning and Mithali Raj. She said both were players she had watched closely while growing up. Their batting had influenced her approach to the game.
For Mandhana, the two records are therefore more than simple numbers. They connect her career with two players who helped shape women’s cricket.
A Record That Reflects Longevity
Scoring more than 10,000 international runs requires much more than one great innings. It needs years of high-level cricket, fitness, consistency and the ability to perform in different conditions.
Mandhana made her India debut in 2013. Since then, she has become a regular name at the top of India’s batting order.
Her latest achievement shows how much her career has grown. She is no longer only one of India’s best batters. She now holds the highest international run total in women’s cricket and the record for the most international centuries.
India’s Next Challenge
India have already secured their place in the semi-finals, but their Asia Cup campaign is not over.
Their next group-stage match is against Pakistan on September 5. India enter that match with two wins and strong confidence after their 137-run victory over Hong Kong.
Mandhana’s form will be one of the main talking points before that game. Her latest innings has given India a major boost, but the team will also want contributions from its middle order and bowlers as the competition becomes tougher.
Mandhana herself has made it clear that the records are not the final goal. For her, the bigger aim remains contributing to the team.
More Than Just a Number
Smriti Mandhana’s 124 will remain one of the most memorable innings of the 2026 Women’s Asia Cup.
She passed Mithali Raj’s 10,868-run record, reached 10,880 international runs, scored her 18th international century, moved ahead of Meg Lanning and Laura Wolvaardt, and helped India defeat Hong Kong by 137 runs.
Yet the biggest part of the story may be how naturally she treated it. Mandhana did not walk to the crease with a focus on records. She simply wanted to bat well and help India.
That approach made the achievement even more special. A player who once watched Mithali Raj as a role model has now taken her place at the top of the women’s international run charts.
And with the Asia Cup semi-finals still ahead, Mandhana has more chances to add to a record that already belongs to her.
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