Devendra KumarVisakhapatnam | December 21, 2025 – A new era has begun in Indian women’s cricket. Indian women’s team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana created a remarkable piece of history on Sunday in the first T20 International against Sri Lanka. She has now become the first batter in the history of Indian women’s cricket to cross 4,000 runs in T20 Internationals.
Historical record: First in India, second in the world.
Smriti Mandhana achived the historic milestone of 4,000 runs during the first match of the five-match T20 series against Sri Lanka in Visakhapatnam. This achievement makes her only the second player in the history of world women’s cricket to reach this landmark.
Smriti’s Place in the World Record:
Suzie Bates had so far been the only player to achieve this milestone, with 4,716 runs. However, what Smriti Mandhana has accomplished is truly special.
According to source, Smriti reached the 4,000-run mark using 448 fewer balls than Suzie Bates. While Bates took 3,675 deliveries to get there, Smriti achieved this feat in just 3,227 balls.
First match after a broken marriage, history in the very first game
This record becomes even more significant because it symbolizes success after a personal crisis.
What happened:
Just two weeks earlier, on November 23, 2025, Smriti was scheduled to marry her music-producer partner Palash Muchhal. The wedding date was fixed and preparations were complete. However, tragically, on the very day of the wedding, Smriti’s father Shrinivas Mandhana suffered a serious cardiac emergency.
He experienced a sudden heart-related episode and had to be admitted to the hospital immediately. Doctors believed that the stress and pressure of the wedding preparations may have contributed to his condition.
The pain of a cancelled wedding:
According to source, Initially, the wedding was only postponed. But a few weeks later, on December 6–7, 2025, Smriti announced through an emotional Instagram post that the wedding had been completely called off.
Following this, she removed all wedding-related photos from her social media platforms. It was arguably one of the most difficult phases in an athlete’s life.
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Return to the field:
But Smriti Mandhana turned her pain into strength.
On December 20, 2025, barely two weeks after the wedding was cancelled, Smriti returned to the field in Visakhapatnam and created history with that very comeback.
This stands as one of the most inspiring moments in Indian sport: a woman whose personal life was shattered, yet who stood tall on the field to play for her country.
Numbers Show Greatness
Players with the most runs in T20 Internationals:
| Player | Country | Total Runs | Matches | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suzie Bates | New Zealand | 4716 | 177 | 108.58 |
| Smriti Mandhana | India | 4000+ | 148 | 123.78 |
| Harmanpreet Kaur | India | 3657 | 163 | 108.13 |
| Chamari Athapaththu | Sri Lanka | 3473 | 144 | 110.14 |
Why This Achievement Is Special for Smriti
- Fastest to the milestone: Smriti Mandhana reached 4,000 T20I runs using 448 fewer balls than Suzie Bates.
- Superior strike rate: Smriti boasts a T20 strike rate of 123.78, reflecting her aggressive style of cricket.
- In fewer matches: Smriti achieved this record in just 148 matches, whereas Suzie Bates took 177 matches to reach the same milestone.
What Happened in Visakhapatnam That Day
In the first T20 International against Sri Lanka, India chased a target of 122 runs. Smriti Mandhana crossed the 4,000-run milestone with a single in the final over of the powerplay.
Major Milestone unlocked 🔓
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) December 21, 2025
Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana becomes the 1⃣st Indian and only the 2⃣nd player ever to complete 4⃣0⃣0⃣0⃣ runs in women's T20Is 🫡#TeamIndia are 55/1 after 6 overs.
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/T8EskKzzzW#INDvSL | @mandhana_smriti | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/pejpxDS2FP
Although Smriti’s individual innings in the match was not particularly impressive. She scored just 25 runs that did nothing to diminish the significance of this historic moment.
India went on to win the match comfortably, with Jemimah Rodrigues playing a superb knock of 69 runs.
What Lies Ahead
Smriti Mandhana is just 29 years old, and there is still a long journey ahead in her cricketing career. This record is only the beginning. In the years to come, she is poised to set even bigger milestones.
In the history of Indian women’s cricket, Smriti’s name will always be written in golden letters not only as a great batter, but as a brave and confident woman who chose to rise above pain and place her dreams first.
Final Word
“Becoming a champion is not easy. But behind every champion, there is a story where life has tested them to their limits. Smriti Mandhana’s story will always remain alive as a source of inspiration in the history of Indian sport.”
Devendra Kumar
