India opener Smriti Mandhana became the highest run-scorer in women's international cricket history after scoring a spectacular 124 off 64 balls against Hong Kong in the Women's Asia Cup 2026 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday (September 3).
Her record-breaking innings took her career total to 10,880 international runs, overtaking fellow Indian legend Mithali Raj, who previously held the record with 10,868 runs.
After etching her name into the history books with a monumental performance, Mandhana said it's just the start" of things to come.
"Till I was batting, I didn't know what record because I didn't know what's the exact runs or all of that," Mandhana said after the match. "But yeah, looking back, definitely a very good day for Indian cricket, I would say. Of course, Mithali di has been such a legend and a role model, and we've all grown up watching her bat, so to go past her in the tally of runs is [something] I definitely never imagined to do. But happy that there are two Indians at the top two."
The southpaw also set a new record for the most centuries in women's international cricket with 18 hundreds, moving past Meg Lanning and Laura Wolvaardt (17 centuries each).
"Going past the international record of the centuries, I mean, 18 is a good number to go past, firstly I will say that," Mandhana stated. "But again, two of the legends of women's cricket, Meg Lanning and Mithali Raj. Genuinely, these are the two people who I have grown up watching a lot of my cricket, tried to take a lot of things from them as batters. So really happy that I could go past them in whatever way. But again, it's just the start I would say."
Her blistering knock featured 14 fours and 7 sixes, driving India to a total of 193 for 5 and securing a 124-run victory.
"Yeah, it did feel like a steam box today," she said. "Dubai again with the Dubai heat and the humidity, it can get a little tougher. But I was lucky I got few fours and sixes, and I didn't have to run a lot of twos on the field. Definitely, I would say, a little testing conditions to be batting for a long time."
Despite Mandhana's individual brilliance, India's middle order faced ongoing struggles during the match. After an opening partnership of 74 runs between Mandhana and Shafali Verma, no other Indian batter crossed 11 runs.
Standing by her teammates, Mandhana emphasized that the conditions were tricky and hailed the middle order as "world-class."
"I wouldn't say that it's easy conditions to bat out there," Mandhana said. "We know it can be a little tricky and definitely I am not the one to come in the press conferences and talk about or name anyone in that way. But having said that, I think everyone is a world-class batter in the middle order as well, and there's no doubt about it that they'll be able to adapt."
India will next face arch-rivals Pakistan on Saturday (September 5) at the same venue in Dubai.
(With Cricinfo Inputs)
