Smriti Mandhana Becomes First Indian Woman to Cross 4,000 T20I Runs

Smriti Mandhana became the first Indian woman cricketer to achieve 4,000 runs in WT20Is, thus cementing her reputation as one of the most reliable and destructive batters in the women's game. The milestone was achieved during the first WT20I against Sri Lanka in Visakhapatnam.

Important Turning Point in Women's T20 cricket

Mandhana joined that elite list previously comprising New Zealand legend Suzie Bates alone, becoming the first Indian woman and only the second woman worldwide to reach over 4,000 T20I runs.

The achievement consolidates her position as one of the all-time greats in women's T20 cricket and shows India's growing dominance in the game. The

Fastest T20I Runs to 4,000

Among the most incredible things about this record is the pace at which Mandhana achieved it:

• In terms of deliveries faced, she became the quickest woman to score 4,000 T20I runs, taking just 3,227 balls.

• Suzie Bates required 3,675 balls for the same milestone, which indicates Mandhana's higher strike efficiency and more aggressive scoring rate.

• This stat reflects her signature style of attacking, strong strokeplay, and the ability to keep the scoreboard moving without sacrificing stability.

The Sri Lanka Match: Record-Breaking Knock

• It came in the first T20I against Sri Lanka at Visakhapatnam, which marked Mandhana’s first international outing since India's ODI World Cup win last month.

• While chasing 122, Mandhana scored 25 runs off 25 balls to open the innings. Though the stay was not too long, it was enough to take it past the 4,000-run mark in WT20Is.

• Although she was removed in the ninth over, the milestone had already been reached and teammates, commentators, and supporters applauded. 

The Platform-Setting Bowling Performance 

The Indian bowlers had restricted Sri Lanka to 121 for 6 earlier in the match. Sri Lanka's top scorer, Vishmi Gunaratne, scored 39, but India took control after star batsman Chamari Athapaththu was dismissed cheaply. The chase was kept manageable, and the conditions were created for Mandhana's moment by India's debutant Vaishnavi Sharma, who impressed with a calm and disciplined performance, first up, supported by an economical spell from Deepti Sharma.