Smriti Mandhana created history, became the first player in women’s ODIs to score 1000 runs in a calendar year

Indian opener Smriti Mandhana etched her name into the history books of women’s ODI cricket during a World Cup match against Australia in Vizag on Sunday, October 12, by breaking multiple significant records. Her phenomenal run-scoring form in the calendar year culminated in her becoming the first player in women’s ODI history to score 1000 runs in a single calendar year. Having started the day on 982 runs, she crossed the landmark with a boundary and a six off Sophie Molineux, solidifying her place at the top of the annual run-scorers list. She had already surpassed the previous record for the most runs in a calendar year, held by Australia’s Belinda Clark (970 runs in 1997), in the previous game against South Africa.

Mandhana’s record-breaking spree did not end there. As she continued her aggressive innings, reaching her half-century off just 46 balls, she achieved another colossal milestone. Upon reaching the 58-run mark, Mandhana became the fastest player to reach 5000 runs in women’s ODIs. She accomplished this feat in just 112 innings, making her the quickest woman to the landmark. This achievement further cements her status as one of the most dominant batters in the modern game.

Despite a relatively quiet start to the ODI World Cup, where she scored just 54 runs across the first three games, Mandhana’s 2025 ODI performance has been exceptional. Across 18 matches, the Indian opener has smashed four centuries and four fifties, including a couple of hundreds in the recent home series against Australia. Her historic day in Vizag, where she broke two long-standing records, served as a stunning return to form and a highlight of her incredible season in the 50-over format.