Smriti Mandhana in IND-W vs NED-W (Source: AFP)
Smriti Mandhana continued her excellent form in the ongoing ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 and created a major record during India Women's clash against Netherlands Women at Headingley, Leeds, on June 17.
The stylish left-handed batter scored a brilliant 74 runs from 47 balls and helped India post a massive total of 209/5 in 20 overs.
Smriti Mandhana And Shafali Verma Guide India
After being asked to bat first, India got off to a flying start thanks to Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma. The opening pair added 115 runs off 71 balls for the first wicket and completely dominated the Dutch bowling attack.
It is vital to note that the duo has so far added the most runs as a partnership in the Women's T20 World Cup.
Most Partnership Runs For India In Women's T20 WCs:
- 502 runs – Smriti Mandhana & Shafali Verma*
- 486 runs – Mithali Raj & Punam Raut
- 367 runs – Harmanpreet Kaur & Jemimah Rodrigues
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Shafali reached her half-century in just 34 balls, while Mandhana brought up her fifty from 36 balls. India crossed the 100-run mark in only 10.5 overs and never allowed the Netherlands to settle.
She was eventually dismissed for 55 off 38 balls, but Mandhana continued to control the innings. She struck 11 fours and one six before falling for a classy 74.
Jemimah Rodrigues added useful runs in the middle, while Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma provided late fireworks.
India scored 54 runs in the final five overs and crossed the 200-run mark before finishing on a daunting 209/5.
Smriti Mandhana Creates History For India
Smriti Mandhana's 74-run knock against the Netherlands became her sixth fifty-plus score in Women's T20 World Cup matches. She now has six scores of 50 or more in the tournament, the most by any Indian batter.
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In doing so, she went past former India captain Mithali Raj and current skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who both have five 50-plus scores in the competition.
Most 50+ Scores for India in Women's T20 WCs:
- 6 - Smriti Mandhana*
- 5 - Harmanpreet Kaur
- 5 - Mithali Raj
Strong Start To India's T20 World Cup Campaign
Smriti Mandhana's latest heroics came just days after she starred in India’s opening match against Pakistan Women. The left-hander scored 68 runs from 44 balls at a strike rate of 154.55.
India then produced a complete performance with the ball. Deepti Sharma claimed a superb five-wicket haul, while Shree Charani picked up three wickets as Pakistan were bowled out for 106.
The 64-run victory gave India a perfect start to their campaign, and Mandhana has once again emerged as one of the team’s biggest match-winners.
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