India (Commonwealth Union)_ India’s star cricketer and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has achieved another major milestone in her career after being named in TIME magazine’s prestigious list of the 100 Most Influential People in Sports for 2026. She is the only Indian athlete to be featured on this year’s list, which celebrates individuals who are making a significant impact on the world of sports. The annual ranking includes some of the biggest names in global sport, such as football legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, tennis stars Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, Formula One champion Lando Norris, golfer Rory McIlroy, and basketball icon LeBron James, who leads this year’s edition.
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Mandhana’s inclusion reflects her growing influence not only in women’s cricket but also across the wider sporting landscape. The left-handed opener from Mumbai has over the years cemented her place as one of the most successful and consistent cricketers in the world. Alongside India captain Harmanpreet Kaur, she has played a key role in raising the profile of women’s cricket in the country. Her achievements continue to set new standards. Mandhana became the first Indian woman to score a double century in a domestic one-day match and the first to register centuries in all three international formats of the game. She also shares the record for the most centuries in women’s international cricket, with 17 hundreds to her name.
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TIME praised her for her ability to keep setting new benchmarks while also contributing to team success. She led Royal Challengers Bangalore to Women’s Premier League titles in 2024 and 2026 and was vice-captain of India when the team won the ICC Women’s World Cup in 2025. She was one of the tournament’s highest run-scorers and played a key role in India’s journey to the final of the tournament. Mandhana’s heroics also saw her win the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year award in 2025.
In addition, she became the first woman cricketer to score more than 1,000 runs in One-Day Internationals during a single calendar year. Earlier this year, she surpassed Rohit Sharma’s tally of T20 International runs, becoming the highest-scoring Indian player in the format. Mandhana currently has more than 4,400 T20I runs, underlining her remarkable consistency at the highest level. Her place among the world’s most influential sporting figures speaks to the burgeoning global recognition for Indian women’s cricket, as she continues to rewrite records and inspire a new generation of athletes.
