Delhi : Smriti Mandhana played such an innings in the Women's Asia Cup 2026 on the night of Thursday, 3 September, which caught the attention of the cricket world. Against Hong Kong, Mandhana scored 124 runs in just 64 balls with the help of 14 fours and 7 sixes. However, this innings of hers was not just a brilliant century, but with it she also made the records of most runs and most centuries in women's international cricket. Just as Sachin Tendulkar's name tops the records of most international runs and centuries in men's cricket, similarly in women's cricket, Smriti Mandhana has achieved the number-1 position in both these figures.
Mandhana has now become the highest run-scorer in women's cricket with 10,880 international runs. She left behind former India captain and legendary batsman Mithali Raj, who had scored 10,868 international runs in her 23-year-long career. Mithali had said goodbye to cricket in 2022 and after about four years, Mandhana made this big record in her name. Mandhana has also created a new history in terms of centuries. With 18 international centuries, she has become the batsman with the most centuries in women's cricket. She left behind Australia's Meg Lanning and South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt, who had 17 centuries each.
Talking about men's cricket, Sachin Tendulkar is still the biggest record holder with 34,357 international runs and 100 centuries. Virat Kohli is second in this list with 28,359 international runs. At the same time, Smriti Mandhana's name is now at the top in women's cricket. Her inning of 124 runs not only gave strength to India against Hong Kong but also took her to a new height in the history of women's cricket. If seen from this perspective, when it comes to records of most runs and centuries in international cricket, now the names of Sachin Tendulkar in men's cricket and Smriti Mandhana in women's cricket appear at the top. This achievement is a very special historical moment for Smriti's career as well as for Indian cricket.