In a historic moment for Indian cricket, Smriti Mandhana is the only Indian to feature in the TIME100 influential people in Sports list in 2026. This monumental feat places the 29-year-old Indian women’s national team vice-captain in the league of global sporting titans such as LeBron James, Lionel Messi, and Carlos Alcaraz.
TIME Magazine, highlighting her journey from a Mumbai-born talent to an unquestioned global icon, praised her record-breaking accomplishments. Mandhana has been a game-changer for women’s cricket in the last few years, leading Royal Challengers Bangalore to the 2026 WPL title and creating a slew of batting records in the process. This international praise is not just a personal milestone but a testament to the soaring dominance of Indian women’s cricket.
Why did Smriti Mandhana make the TIME100 Sports List?
TIME Magazine didn’t just handpick her out of nowhere. Her resume over the last few years reads like a masterclass in modern batting. The publication specifically outlined a trail of unprecedented milestones that forced the world to take notice. Quoting the official profile, TIME noted she was the "first Indian woman to score a double century in a domestic one-day game."
Here are the core reasons driving her inclusion:
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Record-Breaking Centuries: She holds the joint record for the most international centuries in women's cricket, standing tall with 17 hundreds.
All-Format Dominance: Mandhana became the first Indian woman to hit a century across all three international formats.
Run-Scoring Machine: TIME Magazine hailed her achievement as the first woman to achieve the 1,000-run mark in ODIs in a calendar year. She also set, and then broke, her own record for the most international runs across formats between 2024 and 2025.
Leadership Glory: In addition to her individual numbers, she led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to WPL titles in 2024 and 2026 and was a vital deputy when India won the ICC Women’s World Cup last year.
Who Else Features in the 100 Most Influential Sportspersons 2026?
While Mandhana flies the flag for India, the TIME100 sports list is packed with athletes, coaches, and executives actively shaping the global sports landscape. American basketball legend LeBron James headlines the 2026 edition.
Here is a quick look at some of the marquee global icons sharing the list with the Indian opener:
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Athlete Name
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Sport
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Key Achievement Highlighted
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Football |
Securing back-to-back global championships for Argentina |
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Basketball |
Leading the NBA as a multi-generational icon |
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Carlos Alcaraz |
Tennis |
Establishing dominance in men's international tennis |
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Eileen Gu |
Freestyle Skiing |
Reigning as the most decorated female freeskier |
|
Temba Bavuma |
Cricket |
Captaining South Africa to historic international series wins |
What does This Mean for Indian Women's Cricket?
Securing the BBC Indian Sportswoman of 2025 award was a massive national honor, but breaking into this specific global ranking elevates her legacy entirely. For decades, the global cricket narrative heavily favored male superstars.
The presence of Mandhana in this elite group is a testament to the commercial and cultural impact of the women’s game that has reached the mainstream. She is no longer winning matches but drawing packed stadiums and inspiring a new generation to pick up the bat.
The inclusion of Smriti Mandhana in the TIME100 Sports list is a watershed moment for the game. Her consistency, her leadership under pressure, and her centuries that have broken barriers have earned her a rightful place in the sporting royalty of the world and cemented her legacy as a true trailblazer.