Smriti Mandhana becomes highest run scorer in T20 International cricket

India women's vice-captain Smriti Mandhana set a new record on Sunday in Japan. Smriti is now the highest run scorer in T20 International cricket across both the men's and women's game.

She achieved the feat at Korogi Sports Park in the Asian Games semifinal against the Bangladesh women's team. Smriti played an aggressive innings of 37 runs off just 19 balls. During this innings she went past former New Zealand cricketer Suzie Bates on the list of highest run scorers. Bates had 4,788 runs in 171 innings. Before Sunday's match, Smriti had scored 4,751 runs in 170 innings, meaning she needed just 8 runs to go past the former New Zealand player. Opening the innings, she reached that target with two fours and two singles off 7 balls.

Mandhana and Bates had already gone past Babar Azam, the leading run scorer among men in T20 Internationals. Smriti has now built a much bigger lead over Babar Azam's tally as well.

Smriti Mandhana is now ranked first on the list of highest run scorers in T20 International cricket, men and women combined. She has 4,788 runs. New Zealand's Suzie Bates is second with 4,758 runs. Pakistan's Babar Azam is third with 4,596 runs. England's Jos Buttler is fourth with 4,292 runs. India women's captain Harmanpreet Kaur is listed fifth with 45,287 runs.

Smriti Mandhana had recently become the highest run scorer in women's international cricket. During the Asian Games she broke former India captain Mithali Raj's record for the most runs in women's cricket.

Playing against Hong Kong at the Asian Games, Smriti scored 124 runs to break Mithali Raj's record of 10,868 runs. With that innings she also scored her 18th international century. This made her the highest century-maker in women's international cricket, taking her past star player Meg Lanning. South Africa women's captain Laura Wolvaardt later equalled Smriti's century tally with a century of her own.