No Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma; Smriti Mandhana Joins Messi, Ronaldo In Elite List

TIME Honours Smriti Mandhana [Source: AFP]

In what turned out to be a proud moment for Indian sports, cricketer Smriti Mandhana was honoured by TIME magazine as she was listed in the same bracket as legends like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and LeBron James.

Mandhana, 29, has been the face of women’s cricket in India for the longest time. She is one of the most successful cricketers to win India multiple historic games at an international level.

Even in franchise cricket, Smriti has not only thrived as a batter but also as captain, thus proving her leadership mettle.

Smriti Mandhana listed in TIME magazine

To honour her achievements, TIME magazine listed Smriti Mandhana among the 100 most influential people in sports. The list recognises people who are shaping the direction, popularity, business, and cultural impact of sport globally.

Interestingly, the list also includes legends like LeBron James, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Alcaraz and Rory McIlroy. 

Being included means TIME views Mandhana as one of the athletes influencing the future of sport, not merely excelling within it. 

Interestingly, Mandhana was the sole Indian representative in the 2026 edition. This is what makes his achievement even more remarkable. 

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Why did TIME choose Mandhana?

Having said that, Smriti Mandhana didn’t land in TIME’s 100 most influential people in sports list by fluke. She achieved this feat through her remarkable records throughout her glorious career.

She was the first Indian woman to score a double century in a domestic one-day match and also the first Indian batter (male or female) to score centuries in all three international formats.

Also, Mandhana is the joint holder of the record for most centuries in women's international cricket, which is 17. She is the first woman to score over 1,000 ODI runs in a calendar year. 

Apart from batting, Smriti Mandhana holds an elite record as a captain. She led RCB-W to two WPL titles and also served as vice-captain of India during their ICC Women's ODI World Cup triumph.

Smriti Mandhana begins T20 World Cup journey with a bang

Coming back to cricket, Smriti Mandhana is currently participating in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. She scored 68 off 44 balls during India Women’s tournament opener against arch-rivals Pakistan Women.

Courtesy of her knock, India finished with a total of 170/6. In reply, Pakistan’s middle order collapsed as Deepti Sharma bagged a magical five-wicket-haul.  Shree Charani also picked up 3 wickets to completely outclass the women in green. 

Eventually, Pakistan Women were bowled out for 106 runs, and India sealed a comfortable 64-run victory to kick off their campaign on a winning note.

India Women will next face Netherlands Women in an interesting Group A clash on June 17 at Headingley Stadium in Leeds.

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