Star Indian women's cricket team opener Smriti Mandhana has been in scintillating form with the bat recently. During the ACC Women's Asia Cup 2026 encounter against Hong Kong, Mandhana played a phenomenal and explosive innings to etch her name permanently into the history books. With this magnificent century, she surpassed the major world record previously held by former Australia captain Meg Lanning.
Playing at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Smriti Mandhana played a blistering knock of 124 runs from just 64 balls. This remarkable innings took her total number of centuries in women's international cricket to 18. She is now the leading centurion in women's international cricket globally. Prior to this milestone, the record was held by Meg Lanning, who scored 17 centuries during her illustrious international career.
Elite List of Centurions and Standings
Alongside Meg Lanning, South Africa's prominent player Laura Wolvaardt also has 17 centuries to her name, placing her strongly in the upper tier of the list. Following closely behind, West Indies veteran Hayley Matthews occupies the fourth position with 15 centuries to her credit. Mandhana's incredible achievement not only marks a personal milestone but also elevates Indian women's cricket significantly on the global stage, thrilling fans worldwide.
Match Dynamics and Final Over Drama
Mandhana applied pressure on Hong Kong's bowling attack right from the beginning of the innings. She partnered with Shafali Verma to add 60 runs in the first 6 overs, providing India with a rapid start. Shafali was dismissed after scoring 28 runs, following which Mandhana shouldered the responsibility and quickly reached her century while rewriting the record books. After bringing up her hundred, she clearly signaled her intent by smashing three consecutive sixes in an over bowled by Ruchita Venkatesh. However, she was unfortunately run out on the third delivery of the final over.
Most Centuries in Women's International Cricket
- 18 - Smriti Mandhana
- 17 - Meg Lanning
- 17 - Laura Wolvaardt
- 15 - Hayley Matthews
- 14 - Suzie Bates
- 14 - Tammy Beaumont
Hong Kong Chasing a Target of 194 Runs
Riding on Mandhana's extraordinary knock, India posted a total of 193 runs in the first innings. Interestingly, after the match, Mandhana revealed that she was completely unaware of the record she was about to break. She also praised Hong Kong's bowling unit, noting that batting against their slow-pace bowling was not an easy task. Mandhana mentioned that the opposing team bowled with great discipline during the powerplay phase. She stated that she genuinely loves batting and feels delighted to contribute effectively to her team's success.
