Smriti Mandhana Joins Legend Mithali Raj; Another Record Under her Belt

Smriti Mandhana has added her name to cricketing history by becoming only the second Indian woman, after the legendary Mithali Raj, to cross 5,000 runs in One Day Internationals. During the ICC Women's World Cup match against Australia, she went on to join this elite list of players and is also the fastest and the youngest player to achieve the feat of reaching 5,000 runs in WODIs. Smriti Mandhana entered this match with an impressive run tally of 4,942 runs from 111 ODIs, averaging 47.

This milestone is just the latest addition in what has been a record-breaking year for the left-hander. In 2025 alone, she became the fastest Indian woman to reach 4,000 ODI runs and recently broke a 28-year-old record held by Australia’s Belinda Clark for the most ODI runs in a calendar year, going past the 970-run mark with a boundary against South Africa during the Women’s World Cup.

Smriti Mandhana Record: Becomes the Second Indian Batter to Score 5,000 Runs in WODI

Smriti Mandhana is on a record-breaking streak this year, and now she has created another record by becoming only the second Indian batter, after the veteran Mithali Raj, to score 5,000 runs in WODIs. Overall, she has become the fifth player in women’s ODI history to achieve this splendid record. Smriti Mandhana 5000 WODI runs is the kind of record that places her in this elite club among the all-time greats of the women’s game. This is another of Smriti Mandhana records that is under her belt.

The 29-year-old batter reached the landmark in her 112th match, but what truly sets her achievement apart is the pace at which she got there, taking just 5,569 deliveries, making her the fastest ever to the milestone in terms of balls faced. New Zealand’s Suzie Bates, who reached 5,000 runs in 2022, took 6,182 balls to do so.

She scored an impressive 80-run knock off just 66 balls, and this was her 10th fifty-plus score for Smriti against Australia, the most by any batter against them in WODIs, surpassing Mithali Raj's nine. Notably, she has crossed the 50-run mark in each of her last five ODIs against Australia, showing her dominance against the seven-time world champions.

Smriti's form this year has been nothing short of phenomenal, scoring four centuries and four fifties in just 18 innings, including a 50-ball hundred against Australia, the second fastest century in women's ODI cricket. She didn't have the best of starts in this tournament, but she did bounce back in this game against the mighty Aussies.

Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal Power India to Dominant Start in World Cup Clash

India put on a dominating performance in their Women's World Cup clash against Australia on October 12 in Visakhapatnam, thanks to a sensational opening partnership between Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal. The duo scored together a brilliant 155-run stand, putting the perfect foundation for a big total. Mandhana was at her best, timing the ball effortlessly and finding gaps, while Rawal played a mature anchoring knock. The Australian bowlers, despite their experience, struggled to break through early as the Indian openers dictated terms.

However, after that strong start, the momentum shifted slightly as Australia clawed its way back in the middle overs. Sophie Molineux and Annabel Sutherland tightened the bowling with disciplined spells, picking up key wickets, including both openers. Harleen Deol chipped in with a quick 38, but her dismissal, along with that of skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, slowed things down just when India were looking to shift gears. Despite the slight stumble in the middle, India can still post a match-winning score if they finish the innings well.