As the 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup approaches, all eyes in Indian cricket are on Smriti Mandhana. The left-handed opener has been in irresistible form since the heartbreak of the Women’s World Cup 2022, when India failed to reach the semi-finals.
With the tournament beginning on September 30 and India opening their campaign against Sri Lanka, Mandhana’s consistency, calmness, and match-winning temperament make her the heartbeat of India’s batting line-up.
Since the 2022 World Cup, Smriti Mandhana has been the most prolific batter in women’s ODIs, scoring 1800 runs (the most by any batter) in 34 matches at an average of 54.54 and a strike rate close to 94.68. No other player in this period has matched her tally of 15 scores above fifty, which includes six centuries (joint most alongside West Indies’ Hayley Matthews).
She has made a habit of delivering in big games – her 136 against South Africa in Bengaluru, 117 against the same opponents at the same venue, 100 against New Zealand at Ahmedabad, 105 against Australia at W.A.C.A, 135 against Ireland in Rajkot, and 116 against Sri Lanka in Colombo all underline her ability to dominate attacks in contrasting conditions. Whether against pace or spin, at home or overseas, Mandhana’s strokeplay has set the tone for India’s success.
The year 2025 has only strengthened her reputation. In 11 matches, she has scored 628 runs at 57.09, striking at 107.53 – a sign of her increasing intent to push the scoring rate during the powerplay. Her innings this year read: 41, 73, 135, 43, 36, 18, 51, 116, 28, 42 and 45. The standout knock came in Rajkot, where she carved out a sublime 135 against Ireland, and in Colombo, where her 116 anchored India in challenging conditions.
She was equally crucial in the tri-series final against South Africa, making a stabilising 51 that guided India to victory. Even in England, against a world-class attack in testing conditions, she provided brisk starts with 28, 42 and 45 in India’s most recent series.
India’s overall ODI record this year – nine wins in eleven matches – reflects the stability Mandhana has brought at the top. Her presence allows the middle order, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, and the rising Pratika Rawal, to play with freedom. It is no coincidence that India’s best ODI batting performances in recent years have followed strong Mandhana starts. Without her, the top order has sometimes looked fragile; with her, the innings often has both security and momentum.
The World Cup challenge will be formidable. Australia’s pace, England’s swing, and South Africa’s new-ball threat are all lined up to test India. But in Mandhana, India have a batter who has already scored heavily against each of those attacks. Her adaptability – whether it’s countering seam in Chester-le-Street or dominating spin in Colombo – gives India a genuine edge in a tournament expected to throw up diverse conditions across venues.
India’s best World Cup finishes came in 2005 and 2017, both times as runners-up. In both campaigns, a top-order batter in peak form set the foundation for the team’s success. Now, Mandhana finds herself in that role. If she can carry her post-2022 form into the World Cup, she could not only propel India towards their first title but also script one of the greatest individual campaigns in the tournament’s history. With home advantage, a strong ODI year behind them, and Mandhana leading the batting charts, India’s dream of going one step further than 2017 feels more alive than ever.
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