Smriti Mandhana is set to make history as India kicks off their T20I series against Zimbabwe, led by Josephine Nkomo, on Thursday, October 16. The Indian opener is just 133 runs away from becoming the first player in cricket history to score 5,000 runs in T20 internationals, with the chance to reach this impressive milestone in front of her home fans.
Since making her debut in 2013, Mandhana has scored 4,867 runs in 179 T20I matches. She has maintained an average of 31 and a strike rate of 127.47, with two centuries and 37 fifties to her name. With three matches scheduled against Zimbabwe, Mandhana has a good chance to hit this record during the series.
Her role as a consistent performer at the top of the batting order will be essential for India as they aim to start the series on a high note. This series also marks an important transition in Mandhana’s career as she steps into the role of full-time captain for India across all formats.
Mandhana is taking over the captaincy from Harmanpreet Kaur, who recently resigned after successfully leading the team to defend their cricket gold medal at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. The new captain has experience leading the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Women’s Premier League, guiding them to two titles.
While this will be her first series as India’s permanent captain, Mandhana has previously led the national team on an interim basis, winning 11 out of 18 T20Is and all four ODIs she has captained. The upcoming series against Zimbabwe will give her the chance to showcase her style of leadership while also chasing her personal milestones.
The three T20I matches will take place in Raipur on October 16, 18, and 20, followed by three ODIs in Vadodara on October 23, 25, and 28. This tour is historic as it marks the first bilateral series between India and Zimbabwe in women’s cricket.
