Indian Opener Surpasses Mithali Raj to Become Fastest Woman to Reach 10,000 International Runs

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On Sunday, in a match against Sri Lanka at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, Smriti Mandhana marked a record by becoming the first woman cricketer in the world to reach 1,700 runs in a calendar year. The 29-year-old was also awarded Player of the Match for her outstanding performance in this match. Explore more about this record-breaking feat achieved by Mandhana.

A New Benchmark in Run-Scoring Excellence

Smriti Mandhana has set a massive new standard for consistency in women’s cricket. During a recent game against Sri Lanka, she broke her own world record. She became the first player to score over 1,700 runs in a single calendar year. Mandhana pulled off 80 runs from just 48 balls in that match. Her total for 2025 now stands at 1,703 runs. This beat her 2024 record of 1,659 runs.

No player had ever passed 1,500 runs in a year before this recent era. She also became the first woman to reach 1,000 ODI runs in a single year. "The scoreboard is always zero for zero," Mandhana said about her focused mindset.

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In the past, legends relied on occasional big performances. However, today, players like Mandhana have mastered the art of high-frequency scoring with consistency. She plays a packed global schedule and produces twice as many runs as elite openers did a decade ago. 

Overtaking Legends: The Race to 10,000 International Runs

Smriti Mandhana is now the fastest player to reach 10,000 runs in international cricket. She achieved this huge milestone in just 280 innings. This broke the previous record of 291 innings held by Mithali Raj. Mandhana is only the fourth woman to ever reach this five-figure total. She joins a very elite list, including Suzie Bates and Charlotte Edwards.

She is also the youngest player to reach this mark before turning thirty. Her total across all formats is now 10,053 runs. Mandhana remains focused on team success rather than just her own personal stats. "The ODI World Cup win was the biggest thing for women's cricket," she stated recently. She is quickly becoming the greatest run-scorer the game has ever seen.

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People often compare Mandhana to Mithali Raj, but their styles represent two different worlds. Mithali’s 10,000 runs came from the "Anchor Era," where the goal was to never get out. Mandhana’s 10,000 runs define the "Aggressor Era," where the goal is to score as fast as possible. Mandhana is actually making the 10,000-run milestone look too easy for the next generation.