Smriti Mandhana

Smriti Mandhana (born 18 July 1996) is an Indian cricketer who is the vice-captain of the Indian women's national cricket team. She is widely regarded as one of the best women's cricketers in the world and has been the face of women's cricket in India. Known for her elegant left-handed batting and aggressive strokeplay, she has scored over 4,000 international runs across formats. Born in Mumbai and raised in Sangli, Maharashtra, Mandhana was introduced to cricket by her father, who was a district-level cricketer. She became the youngest woman to score a double century in a one-day match when she scored 224 in the West Zone Under-19 tournament at age 15. She made her international debut in 2013 at age 16. Mandhana's breakthrough came during the 2017 Women's Cricket World Cup where she scored 90 in the opening match against England, helping India reach the final. Her elegant batting style and fearless approach drew comparisons to cricket legends like Kapil Dev. In 2018, she was named ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year. She was the most expensive Indian player in the Women's Premier League (WPL) auction in 2023, bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for ₹3.4 crore. Her captaincy and batting have been instrumental in raising the profile of women's cricket in India.