Smriti Mandhana eyes creating history by becoming first cricketer to score 5000 runs in women’s T20IsIndia to face Zimbabwe in three-match T20I series from October 16.
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Smriti Mandhana eyes historic milestone, become first cricketer with 5000 runs in women’s T20Is (Photo: IANS)
IND W vs ZIM W: Smriti Mandhana is set to begin her journey as India’s full-time T20I captain with a major milestone within reachThe left-handed opener needs 133 more runs to become the first cricketer to score 5,000 runs in women’s T20 internationals.
India will face Zimbabwe in a three-match T20I series starting October 16The series will give Mandhana her first assignment as India’s full-time captain and an opportunity to create history in the shortest format.
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Mandhana has scored 4,867 runs in 172 innings and remains the leading run-scorer in women’s T20IsNew Zealand’s Suzie Bates is second on the list with 4,758 runs, followed by India captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu.
| Player | Team | Time Period | Matches | Runs | Highest Score | Strike Rate | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smriti Mandhana | India | 2013-2026 | 179 | 4867 | 124 | 127.47 | 2 | 37 |
| Suzie Bates | New Zealand | 2007-2026 | 186 | 4758 | 124* | 108.60 | 1 | 28 |
| Harmanpreet Kaur | India | 2009-2026 | 210 | 4346 | 103 | 110.56 | 1 | 18 |
| Chamari Athapaththu | Sri Lanka | 2009-2026 | 173 | 4311 | 119* | 115.02 | 4 | 16 |
| Sophie Devine | New Zealand | 2006-2026 | 158 | 3817 | 105 | 123.20 | 1 | 24 |
| Beth Mooney | Australia | 2016-2026 | 125 | 3783 | 117* | 126.47 | 2 | 31 |
Mandhana closes in on 5,000 T20I runs
Reaching the 5,000-run mark would be another major achievement in Mandhana’s international careerShe has been one of India’s most consistent batters in the format and will be keen to continue that form in her new leadership role.
The opener has also been in good touch recently, scoring two half-centuries and a century in her last eight T20I appearancesHer performances will be important as India prepare for the Zimbabwe series.
New captain says batting will not change
Mandhana has made it clear that becoming captain will not affect her natural approach at the creaseShe believes her experience in the leadership group over the years will help her handle the responsibility without changing her batting style.
“I have been the vice-captain for the last almost 10 yearsSo, I have been part of the leadership role and I wouldn’t say it is an extremely new thingBut for sure, it is something to look forward to and hopefully, I can do justice to the role,” Mandhana said.
She also explained that taking responsibility while batting has been part of her game since her teenage years.
“I have become a captain on the field; there should be no changes in my battingMy coach used to tell me when I was 15 years old, ‘Whenever you bat, always think you are the captain’.
“You always take that responsibility, and those things have never changedIf the ball is in the zone, I will still go for itI will still play whatever (way) the team needs (me to),” she added.
India’s batting leaderboard
Mandhana currently leads the women’s T20I run-scoring chart, with Bates and Harmanpreet among the closest players to herA strong series against Zimbabwe could see her reach the landmark early in her captaincy tenure.
India will hope their new skipper’s form carries into the series as the team begins another chapter under her leadership.
