Smriti Mandhana Eyes 10,000 International Runs in Upcoming T20I

Mandhana on the Verge of a Milestone

In Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, the vice-captain of the Indian women's cricket team, Smriti Mandhana, is just 28 runs shy of becoming the second Indian woman to achieve 10,000 international runs in cricket.

The 29-year-old left-handed batswoman from Maharashtra is set to play in the third T20I against Sri Lanka on Friday. If she reaches this milestone, she will follow in the footsteps of the iconic Mithali Raj, who was the first Indian woman to score 10,000 runs.

Currently, Mandhana has accumulated 9,972 runs over 279 international matches. Mithali Raj retired in 2022 with a remarkable total of 10,868 runs from 333 matches.

Should Mandhana score the required 28 runs, she will also become the fourth female cricketer globally to cross the 10,000-run mark, joining the ranks of Mithali, Suzie Bates (10,652 runs), and Charlotte Edwards (10,273 runs).

India is currently leading the T20I series against Sri Lanka 2-0, having won both of the initial matches.

In the second T20I held on Tuesday, India achieved a convincing seven-wicket victory over Sri Lanka.

Chasing a target of 129 runs, Shafali Verma was the standout performer, scoring an impressive unbeaten 69 off just 34 balls, which included 11 fours and a six. Mandhana contributed 14 runs before her early dismissal, while Jemimah Rodrigues added 26 runs from 15 balls. India successfully reached the target in only 11.5 overs, with captain Harmanpreet Kaur coming in after Rodrigues' exit and finishing the match.

Earlier, Sri Lanka managed to post 128 runs for 9 wickets in their 20 overs, with Chamari Athapaththu scoring 31 off 24 balls and Harshitha Madavi contributing 33 off 32 balls. India's bowlers, particularly Vaishnavi Sharma and Shree Charani, each took two wickets, while Kranti Gaud, Sneh Rana, and Amanjot Kaur made crucial run-outs, effectively keeping Sri Lanka's scoring in check throughout their innings. Early breakthroughs and disciplined bowling allowed India to restrict Sri Lanka to a subpar total, paving the way for an easy chase.