Dubai, Sep 2026 : India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana produced a breathtaking batting display, smashing a stroke-filled 124 off just 64 balls to help India post 193/5 against Hong Kong-China in the Women’s T20 Asia Cup on Thursday. The innings was packed with records as Mandhana became the leading run-scorer in women’s international cricket and also registered her 18th international century across formats.
Asked to bat first after Hong Kong-China won the toss, India began cautiously on a slow and low-paced Dubai surface. Mandhana and Shafali Verma opened the innings, with India managing only five runs from the first over. Mandhana soon settled in, sweeping wrist-spinner Kary Chan for the first boundary of the innings before Shafali launched an aggressive assault in the sixth over.
Shafali took Marina Lamplough apart, smashing two sixes and two fours in a 22-run over as India raced to 60 without loss at the end of the powerplay. The pair brought up their 50-run opening partnership in the eighth over, their 29th fifty-plus stand in T20 internationals. However, the partnership ended when Shafali miscued a full toss from off-spinner Ruchitha Venkatesh and was dismissed for 28.
Pratika Rawal then joined Mandhana but could not stay long, falling for 10 in the 13th over after miscuing Joyleen Kaur towards point. With wickets falling at the other end, Mandhana took responsibility for accelerating the innings and shifted gears during the second half.
Mandhana reached her half-century from 41 balls, hitting a six over deep backward square leg off Iqra Sahar in the 11th over. With the pitch offering little pace, she adapted brilliantly, using her backfoot to find gaps and relying on lofted strokes to keep the scoreboard moving.
Her most spectacular assault came in the 18th over when she advanced down the track against Ruchitha and hammered three consecutive sixes. Earlier, she had reached her century in the 17th over by cutting Marina through backward point. The landmark came from 58 balls and underlined her control and range on a challenging surface.
Mandhana's 124 off 64 balls, containing 14 fours and seven sixes, also became the highest individual score in Women’s T20 Asia Cup history. She surpassed Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu, whose unbeaten 119 against Malaysia in 2024 had previously held the record.
The innings also saw Mandhana overtake former India captain Mithali Raj’s international career tally of 10,868 runs, making her the highest run-scorer in women’s international cricket. Her century was also her 18th across formats, taking her past Australia great Meg Lanning for the most international hundreds by a batter in women’s cricket.
Hong Kong-China struggled throughout the innings to maintain consistent lengths and build pressure on India’s batters. Mandhana continued to dominate despite the occasional difficulties faced by India’s middle order, which contributed only 34 runs, leaving that department as an area of concern despite the imposing total.
Mandhana’s extraordinary knock finally ended on the penultimate delivery of the innings when she was run out following a mid-pitch mix-up with Bharti Fulmali. Richa Ghosh contributed 11 while captain Harmanpreet Kaur made 10 as India finished on 193/5 in 20 overs, setting Hong Kong-China a target of 194.
Brief Scores:
India 193/5 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 124, Shafali Verma 28; Marina Lamplough 2-46, Joyleen Kaur 1-12) against Hong Kong-China.
