In what promised to be another glittering chapter in her already illustrious career, 29-year-old left-handed opening batter and Indian vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has created history in Women’s ODIs. India, led by skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, is up against Australia, led by skipper Alyssa Healy, at Visakhapatnam in their 4th game of their campaign on 12th October 2025.
The elegant stroke-maker has become the fastest, in terms of innings played (112 innings) and even in terms of the number of balls faced (5,569 balls), to score 5,000 runs in the format, a milestone that places her among the most accomplished batters in the game’s history. Upon reaching the landmark, she became only the second Indian, after former skipper Mithali Raj, and the fifth overall to breach the 5,000-run mark.
She achieved the landmark in style with a maximum in the 21st over of the innings, bowled by Kim Garth. Skipper Alyssa Healy won the toss and opted to field first in Vizag. The Indian openers Pratika Rawal and Smriti Mandhana came out all guns blazing, stitching the highest-ever opening stand of 154 runs against Australia in the World Cup by any team. The Indian vice-captain finally got her rhythm and full flow back, registering her first half-century (80 off 66 balls) in the ongoing 13th edition of the tournament.
Mandhana’s achievement not only underscores her consistency and match-winning ability but also cements her legacy as one of the most influential batters of her era. Her record-breaking run has already taken significant shape this year, with her surpassing former Australian skipper Belinda Clark’s long-standing record from 1997 for most runs in a calendar year in ODIs, amassing 1,062 runs at a rate of 112.85 striking average of 59 in just 18 innings in 2025. She also became the first player in the history of the women’s game to register 1,000+ runs and counting in a calendar year in the ODI format.
Mandhana’s historical pursuit came amid an extraordinary run of form in 2025. In India’s third fixture of the ongoing ICC Women’s ODI World Cup on October 9 against South Africa in Visakhapatnam, led by Laura Wolvaardt, she overtook Clark’s tally of 970 runs in a calendar year, a record that had stood untouched for 28 years.
This latest feat adds to her growing list of milestones, which includes 13 centuries and 33 half-centuries in ODIs, placing her joint second alongside Suzie Bates of New Zealand for most centuries in the women’s game. Only former Australian captain Meg Lanning, with 15 centuries, sits ahead. Ever since making her ODI debut on April 10, 2013, against Bangladesh in Ahmedabad, Mandhana has been a cornerstone of India’s batting lineup, amassing 5,022 runs at an impressive strike rate of 89.98 and an average of 47.37 from 112 innings.
Her finest ODI knock to date came on June 19, 2024, against South Africa in Bengaluru, a masterful 136 off 120 balls studded with 18 boundaries and two sixes in a narrow four-run victory.
Mandhana’s stature in global tournaments, particularly the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup, has been equally significant. Since her debut in the marquee event on June 24, 2017, against England at Derby, where her dazzling 90 off 72 balls earned her the Player of the Match award, she has featured in 20 World Cup innings to date, compiling 693 runs at an average of 36.47, with four fifties and two centuries.
In the ongoing 13th edition, hosted jointly by India and Sri Lanka from September 30 to November 2, 2025, Mandhana’s scores have been modest so far: 8 against Sri Lanka in a rain-curtailed opener in Guwahati, 23 against Pakistan in Colombo, and another 23 versus South Africa in Visakhapatnam. Despite accumulating 134 runs at a strike rate of 95.71 and an average of 33.50 in four innings this World Cup, the tournament stage remains an arena where she’s more than capable of producing match-defining knocks.
Smriti Mandhana’s entry into the 5,000-run club is not merely a statistic but a testament to her unwavering consistency from the day she donned India’s colours in April 2013. Her left-handed elegance, coupled with an aggressive yet controlled approach, has made her one of the most feared openers in the women’s game. From her debut as a promising teenager to becoming India’s vice-captain, she has built a career marked by big-match performances, milestone-breaking exploits, and an unyielding commitment to the team’s cause.
As she took the field for the fixture against Australia in the ongoing World Cup, Mandhana found herself not just chasing personal glory, but also unlocking her fluent rhythm, but also carrying the hopes of a nation, ready to leave another indelible mark in cricketing history.
Loves all things female cricket