Smriti Mandhana Sets New Records in Asian Games Women's Cricket Semifinal

Mandhana's Record-Breaking Performance

In Nagoya, Smriti Mandhana showcased her exceptional batting skills against Bangladesh during the women's cricket semifinal at the Asian Games. She made headlines by achieving both a world record and a national record with her aggressive play, scoring a rapid 37 runs before being dismissed. By that point, she had already established herself as the highest run-scorer in women's T20 International cricket.

World Record for Most T20 Runs

Smriti faced only 19 balls to accumulate her 37 runs, bringing her total T20I runs to an impressive 4,788. This achievement surpassed the previous record of 4,758 runs held by New Zealand's Suzie Bates. Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur ranks third on this list with 4,287 runs. Additionally, Mandhana became the first Indian woman to hit 100 sixes in T20 cricket during this match, contributing significantly to India's strong start with 4 boundaries and 2 sixes.

Shafali Verma's Explosive Century

Meanwhile, opener Shafali Verma delivered an outstanding performance, scoring an unbeaten 100 runs off just 49 balls, marking her first T20 century. Her explosive innings included 3 boundaries and 9 sixes, which played a crucial role in helping India set a formidable total. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur also contributed with a solid 40 runs, leading India to a remarkable score of 195 for 4 in their 20 overs.