Indian women's cricket team newly appointed captain Smriti Mandhana is set to lead the team as a regular captain for the very first time. A three-match T20 series between India and Zimbabwe begins on 16 October, bringing a golden opportunity for her to create an unprecedented global record that no male or female player in world cricket has achieved to date.
In terms of run-scoring in T20 Internationals, the Indian opener has already moved ahead of several prominent male players. Established names in men's cricket such as Babar Azam, Jos Buttler, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli all trail behind her run tally. Now, Smriti Mandhana stands exceptionally close to becoming the absolute first player globally to cross the milestone of 5000 runs in T20I cricket.
Just 133 Runs Away From Creating History
Throughout the history of the sport, no player in either men's or women's cricket has ever touched 5,000 runs in T20 Internationals. However, the Indian captain is within touching distance of this monumental feat. Across 179 matches and 172 innings so far, she has accumulated 4867 runs, featuring 2 centuries and 37 half-centuries. She now requires only 133 runs to script this historic world record, a target she can easily fulfill during the upcoming series against Zimbabwe.
First-Ever Bilateral Series Between India and Zimbabwe
The three-match T20 series between the women's cricket teams of India and Zimbabwe gets underway on Friday. This marks the very first time a bilateral series is being played between the two women's national sides. The visiting Zimbabwe team arrives high on confidence after defeating West Indies in a one-day match, and their side will be led by Josephine Nkomo. All three matches of the T20 series are scheduled to take place on 16, 18, and 20 October in Raipur. Following this leg, both squads will travel to Vadodara, where a three-match ODI series will be played on 23, 25, and 28 October.
