Harmanpreet Kaur has surpassed Smriti Mandhana to become India’s leading run-scorer in women’s T20 cricket. She achieved this feat during India’s Women’s Asia Cup T20 match against UAE in Dambulla on Sunday, 21 July.

Harmanpreet Kaur broke Smriti Mandhana’s record

UAE won the toss and decided to bowl first and Smriti Mandhana was the first batsman to depart, getting out for 13 runs. Shafali Verma scored 37 runs in 18 balls before getting out. Harmanpreet came to the crease next, needing just 30 runs to surpass Smriti’s tally of 3,378 runs.

The Indian captain played some brilliant strokes and smashed 66 runs off 47 balls with the help of seven fours and a six to break that record comfortably. Harmanpreet took her tally to 3,415 in T20Is from 171 matches at an average of 28.22 and a strike rate of 107.35. She currently leads her vice-captain Smriti Mandhana by 37 runs.

India gave a target of 200+

Under the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, Richa Ghosh, India scored 200+ for the first time in women’s T20. Apart from Shafali Verma and Harmanpreet, Richa entertained the Indian fans by displaying brilliant batting. The wicketkeeper-batsman scored 64 runs in just 29 balls with the help of 12 fours and a six. She remained not out and on the basis of this, Team India scored a challenging score of 201/5 in 20 overs.

This is the first time India have scored over 200 in Women’s T20Is. Their previous highest team score in the shortest format of the game was 198/4 against England at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. Interestingly, the target of 199 runs was chased down by England.

India beat UAE

Chasing a target of 202 was a tough task for the inexperienced UAE batting lineup. The UAE were bowled out for 123 for 7 in 20 overs and India won their second match of the Women’s Asia Cup 2024 by 78 runs.