Know your Cricketer – Smriti Mandhana; The best Women’s International Cricketer Award Winner

Personal Information
Full Name	Smriti Shriniwas Mandhana
Date of Birth	July 18, 1996
Current Team(s)	Indian Women's Cricket Team
	Royal Challengers Bangalore Women
Role	Opening Batswoman
Batting Style	Left hand Bat
Bowling Style	Right arm Offbreak
Jersey No.	18

Smriti Mandhana is a name that needs no introduction in the world of cricket. She is one of the most talented and promising cricketers in India, known for her aggressive batting style and incredible talent. Born on July 18, 1996, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, Smriti hails from a family that has a deep passion for cricket. Her father and brother both played cricket at the district level, and it was only natural for Smriti to follow in their footsteps.

Early Life and Career
Smriti Mandhana moved with her family to Sangli, Maharashtra, when she was just two years old. She completed her schooling there and started playing cricket at a young age. Inspired by her brother's success, Smriti started playing cricket at the age of nine and was soon selected for Maharashtra's U-15 team. She continued to excel in the sport and was selected for the U-19 team at the age of just 11.

In October 2013, Smriti made history by becoming the first Indian woman to score a double hundred in a one-day game. Playing for Maharashtra against Gujarat at the West Zone U-19 tournament, she scored an incredible 224 runs in just 150 balls. This performance brought her into the limelight, and she soon became recognized as one of the most promising young talents in Indian cricket.

Domestic Cricket
Smriti Mandhana represents Maharashtra in domestic cricket and has been a consistent performer for her team. In 2016, she played exceptionally well in the Women's Challengers Trophy for India Red, scoring three half-centuries and helping her team win the trophy. With a total of 192 runs in the entire tournament, Smriti emerged as the tournament's top-scorer.

In September 2016, following her impressive performance in the Women's Challengers Trophy, Smriti secured a one-year contract with the Brisbane Heat for the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL). Alongside Harmanpreet Kaur, she was one of only two Indian women to sign up for the league. Unfortunately, she suffered a knee injury while playing against the Melbourne Renegades in January 2017, forcing her to sit out the remainder of the tournament.

In June 2018, Smriti made history by becoming the first Indian woman to join the Kia Super League. Later that year in November, she secured a spot in the Hobart Hurricanes squad for the 2018-19 Women's Big Bash League season. In 2021, she was drafted by the Southern Brave for The Hundred season and played seven matches, scoring an impressive 167 runs. However, she had to leave the team to participate in India's Tour of Australia.

International Career
Smriti Mandhana made her Test debut in August 2014 and performed well against England at Wormsley Park. She scored 22 and 51 runs in the first and second innings, respectively, and played a crucial role in leading Team India to victory.

In the second ODI game against Australia at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart in 2016, Smriti scored an impressive 102 runs off 109 balls. As a result, she was the only Indian player to be selected for the ICC Women's Team of the year 2016.

In January 2017, Smriti suffered a knee injury while playing in the WBBL league, forcing her to sit out for several matches. However, she made a strong comeback in the 2017 World Cup, scoring an impressive 90 runs against England in the group stage and leading her team to victory. In addition, she achieved another milestone by scoring her second hundred in the one day international against West Indies.

The Women's Cricket World Cup of 2017 saw the Indian team lose to England by 9 runs in the final match. In March 2018, Smriti played for Team India in the Women's Twenty20 International against Australia and scored fifty in just 30 balls. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) awarded her the 'Best Women's International Cricketer' in BCCI awards in June 2018.

In August 2018, Smriti achieved her first century in Women's Cricket Super League. In October 2018, during the Women's World Twenty20 Tournament in West Indies, she became the third cricketer to score 1000 runs in WT20I matches. In December 2018, she was honored with the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Award for the best female cricketer of the year by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

In February 2019, Smriti achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the youngest Captain of India's Women T20I for three matches against England. Additionally, she holds the record for scoring the fastest fifty in just 24 balls against New Zealand in Women's T20Is.

In May 2019, Smriti won the International Woman Cricketer of the Year award at the CEAT International Cricket Awards 2019. Later that year, in November, she reached the milestone of scoring 2000 runs in WODIs, making her the third-fastest cricketer to do so. Her talent did not go unnoticed, and in January 2020, she was selected for India's squad for the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Australia.

Recent Performances
Over the past few years, Smriti Mandhana has continued to make waves in the cricketing world. She was selected for India's Test matches against England and Australia in May 2021 and August 2021, respectively. During these matches, she became the first Indian female cricketer to score a century in both ODIs and Tests in Australia.

In January 2022, Smriti was chosen for India's squad for the 2022 Women's Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. Additionally, the ICC awarded her with the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Award for the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year in the same month. 

Women Premier League (WPL)
During the debut of WPL auction in February 2023, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) purchased her for ₹3.4 Cr, which was the most substantial bid for a player in that auction.

Conclusion
Smriti Mandhana is a name that has become synonymous with Indian women's cricket. Her incredible talent, aggressive batting style, and ability to score runs consistently have earned her numerous accolades and awards. Her journey so far has been nothing short of exceptional, and she is undoubtedly one of the most promising cricketers in India today. With more matches and tournaments on the horizon, we can't wait to see what Smriti Mandhana does next.