Smriti Mandhana has once again proven why she is one of the biggest names in women’s cricket. The star India opener has made history in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, becoming the Indian player with the most runs in a single edition of the tournament. Her consistency and class have shone through on the grandest stage, inspiring fans across the country.
Smriti Mandhana falls short of a fifty but breaks a huge record
Smriti Mandhana has been India’s most reliable batter in this year’s World Cup. Although she started the tournament slowly, the left-hander found her rhythm when it mattered most. After a few low scores early on, Smriti came roaring back with back-to-back scores in the 80s against Australia and England, followed by a stunning century against New Zealand.
In the semi-final against Australia, she managed 24 runs, and in the final at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai, she played another impressive knock before getting out for 45. Even though she missed her fifty by a small margin, her contribution at the top of the order was invaluable.
Smriti and Shafali Verma gave India a strong start, putting together a 104-run partnership for the opening wicket. It was a historic moment, as this became the first-ever century opening stand by an Indian pair in a World Cup knockout match across both men’s and women’s cricket. The duo also joined elite company as only the second pair to post a century stand in a Women’s World Cup final, after Rachael Haynes and Alyssa Healy’s 160-run partnership against England in 2022.
However, Smriti’s struggle against left-arm spinners continued when Chloe Tryon dismissed her for 45 off 58 balls. Despite falling short of another big score, Smriti achieved a remarkable milestone by becoming the Indian with the most runs in a single edition of the Women’s World Cup.
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Most runs for India Women in a single World Cup edition:
- 434 – Smriti Mandhana (2025)
- 409 – Mithali Raj (2017)
- 381 – Punam Raut (2017)
- 359 – Harmanpreet Kaur (2017)
- 327 – Smriti Mandhana (2022)
Playing a home World Cup is a dream come true
Before the final, Smriti Mandhana spoke about how special it feels to represent India in a home World Cup. Sharing her emotions on JioHotstar’s ‘Follow The Blues’, she said:
“The World Cup is always special – but a home World Cup is something else altogether. I remember visiting the stadium a couple of months ago for an ad shoot and standing on the balcony thinking, ‘How amazing would it be if we win here on the 2nd?’ Now, that dream is within reach. Our focus as a team is to leave everything behind,” said Mandhana.
“Whatever happened in the past or in the semi-final, give 100% in the final. Everyone has been meticulous with their preparations, whether in the gym or at training. As players, it’s in our hands how we prepare. I know a lot of dreams across India are connected with this final, and we will try our best to make those dreams come true – because fans will live those moments through our eyes,” she added.
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Smriti Mandhana also shared that her focus throughout the World Cup has been on contributing to the team rather than chasing personal records.
“In this World Cup, my only goal was to do whatever the team needed from me. In the past, I came in with personal targets – wanting to score specific runs or achieve certain milestones – but things rarely go exactly as planned. This time, my intention was very clear: to focus on preparation and execution rather than numbers,” said Mandhana.
“Personally, the only statistic I want to see is that ‘India has won the 2025 World Cup.’ That’s what will mean the most to me. As a batter, I’ve realised that you can’t overthink in cricket – it’s all about reacting to the ball. Whoever reacts best on the day will do well. So for me, it’s about staying calm, being present, and contributing in whichever way the team needs,” she added.
Even though Smriti missed out on a half-century in the final, her record-breaking performance throughout the tournament has already cemented her place as one of India’s greatest-ever cricketers.
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