The Indian women’s cricket team vice captain Smriti Mandhana was the lone Indian featured in the prestigious TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026 list.
The annual list honours athletes, coaches, investors, and advocates who shape the world of sports through their contributions.
Mandhana, the left-handed opening batter, was placed in the ‘Titans’ category of the list alongside the likes of football great Cristiano Ronaldo, Norway’s Erling Haaland, South Afrian cricket captain Temba Bavuma and others.
The list also features global sporting icons like basketball star Lebron James, footballing legend Lionel Messi, tennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz, the 2026 Winter Olympics breakout star Eileen Gu among others.
Mandhana has played 295 matches over India since making her international debut over a decade ago in 2013 as a teenager.
She has also scored over 10,000 runs in international cricket across formats during this phase and has also led the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to two Women’s Premier League (WPL) titles at the franchise level.
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