Here’s a deep dive into Smriti Mandhana’s illustrious career so far as she turns 30
Published: July 18, 2026, 1:37 PM IST
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India’s Smriti Mandhana plays a shot on Day 3 of the one-off Test match between India Women and England Women at Lord’s Cricket Ground, in London, England, on Sunday, July 12, 2026. (Photo: IANS/X/@BCCIWomen)
Indian batter Smriti Mandhana celebrates her 30th birthday today. The left-handed opener has become one of the biggest names in the game with her elegant strokeplay, consistency and match-winning performances. Over the years, she has played a key role in India’s rise on the world stage and remains one of the team’s most dependable batters.
Mandhana’s cricket journey began in Sangli, Maharashtra, where she grew up in a family passionate about the sport. Inspired by her elder brother Shravan, who played district-level cricket, she started practising at a young age.
Her talent was spotted early, and she made her domestic debut for Maharashtra when she was just nine years old. She continued to impress in age-group cricket before earning a place in the Indian team.
She made her ODI debut against Bangladesh in April 2013 and quickly established herself as one of India’s brightest young talents. A few days later, she made her T20I debut against the same opponents. Mandhana had to wait longer for her Test cap, making her debut against England in August 2014. Since then, she has been a regular across all three formats and has become one of the senior leaders in the Indian dressing room.
Mandhana has collected several major honours during her career. She won the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year award in 2018, 2021 and 2024, while also receiving the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year in 2021.
She was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2018 and has also become the first Indian woman to score international centuries in all three formats. During the 2025 season, she became the only Indian woman to achieve that feat and also equalled the record for the most centuries in women’s international cricket.
One of the biggest moments of her career came in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, where India lifted the trophy for the first time. Mandhana was India’s highest run-scorer in the tournament and played a crucial role throughout the campaign with several important knocks at the top of the order.
Her consistency helped India script a historic title-winning run and cemented her place among the country’s greatest cricketers.
Mandhana’s numbers reflect her remarkable consistency. She has scored 788 runs in nine Tests, 5,411 runs in 120 ODIs and 4,538 runs in 171 T20Is, taking her tally to 10,737 international runs. With 17 international centuries and several records to her name, she continues to inspire young cricketers and remains one of the biggest stars in women’s cricket.
