Smriti Mandhana added another landmark to an already record-filled career on Tuesday, becoming the first woman cricketer to reach 11,000 international runs during India’s Asian Games 2026 gold-medal match against Sri Lanka in Japan.
The milestone came at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Aichi-Nagoya, as Mandhana anchored India’s innings after opening alongside Shafali Verma. Mandhana eventually made 79 from 45 deliveries before being dismissed in the 17th over.
India finished their innings on 216/3, with Mandhana’s contribution forming the centrepiece of an aggressive batting display in the women’s cricket final. Richa Ghosh also provided a late acceleration after Mandhana’s departure.
Mandhana reaches another international milestone
Mandhana needed 13 runs when she began the final to reach 11,000 international runs, according to the match report. She reached the landmark during her 79-run innings, adding another first to a career that has already included several major scoring records.
Her latest achievement follows another major milestone earlier in the month. During India’s Women’s Asia Cup campaign, Mandhana surpassed Mithali Raj to become the leading run-scorer in women’s international cricket across formats. The ICC reported that Mandhana had reached 10,880 international runs after scoring 124 against Hong Kong, China on September 3.
Mandhana’s record-setting run continued at the Asian Games. In India’s semi-final against Bangladesh, she scored 37 from 19 balls and became the leading run-scorer in women’s T20 internationals, moving beyond New Zealand’s Suzie Bates. The ICC confirmed the milestone after Mandhana took her T20I tally past Bates during the semi-final.
A record partnership with Shafali Verma
Mandhana’s influence in the final was not limited to her personal tally.
She and Shafali Verma added 99 runs for India’s opening wicket against Sri Lanka. That stand also pushed their combined runs as a pair beyond 4,000 in women’s T20 internationals, according to the match report.
The achievement builds on a record the Indian opening duo established in 2025, when they overtook Australia’s Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney to become the highest run-scoring pair in women’s T20Is. At that stage, Mandhana and Verma had accumulated 2,727 runs together.
Their partnership has since continued to grow, making the pair one of the defining opening combinations in women’s T20 cricket.
India post 216 in the gold-medal match
Mandhana and Verma gave India a fast start against Sri Lanka before Verma was dismissed after contributing to the 99-run opening stand.
Mandhana continued the attack and reached 79 before her innings ended at 163/3. Ghosh then supplied the late impetus as India reached 216/3 from their 20 overs.
The final is a repeat of the recent Women’s Asia Cup title match in Dubai, where India defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs to claim a record-extending eighth Asia Cup title. Mandhana scored 59 in that final while Verma made 68.
Sri Lanka entered the Asian Games final after beating Pakistan in the other semi-final, while India advanced with a 114-run victory over Bangladesh. Mandhana’s 37 in that semi-final was enough to move her to the top of the women’s T20I run-scoring list.
For Mandhana, the Asian Games final therefore became another chapter in a remarkable month. After breaking the women’s international run-scoring record during the Asia Cup and taking the top position in T20I runs, she added the 11,000-run landmark on one of the biggest stages of the Asian Games.
Her 79-run innings ended short of another century, but the personal milestone had already been secured.
India’s final score of 216/3 left Sri Lanka with 217 to win the gold-medal match. The result of the final was still developing in the latest match updates available for this report.
Q1. What record did Smriti Mandhana set at the Asian Games 2026?
Smriti Mandhana became the first woman cricketer to reach 11,000 international runs during the Asian Games women’s cricket final against Sri Lanka.
Q2. How many runs did Smriti Mandhana score in the Asian Games final?
Mandhana scored 79 runs from 45 balls before being dismissed.
Q3. Who did India play in the Asian Games women’s cricket final?
India played Sri Lanka for the women’s cricket gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Q4. What was India’s score in the final?
India scored 216/3 in 20 overs, setting Sri Lanka a target of 217.
Q5. What record do Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma hold?
Mandhana and Verma are the highest run-scoring pair in women’s T20Is, having previously surpassed Australia’s Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney.
Q6. When did Mandhana become the leading run-scorer in women’s T20Is?
She achieved that milestone during India’s Asian Games semi-final against Bangladesh on September 20, 2026.
Q7. Which record did Mandhana break before reaching 11,000 international runs?
During the Women’s Asia Cup, she surpassed Mithali Raj to become the leading run-scorer in women’s international cricket across formats.
