Smriti Mandhana’s historic milestone gets special praise from RCB teammates and coach

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have congratulated their captain Smriti Mandhana after the India star created history in women’s international cricket.

Mandhana recently became the highest run-scorer in women’s international cricket across all formats. Her record-breaking performance against Hong Kong in the Women’s Asia Cup took her career tally to 10,880 runs, moving her past former India captain Mithali Raj’s 10,868.

The milestone came during a stunning 124-run knock, which also helped Mandhana become the leading century-maker in women’s international cricket. She now has 18 international hundreds, moving ahead of Australia’s Meg Lanning and South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt, who have 17 each.

Mandhana’s big impact with RCB

Mandhana has also played a key role in RCB’s success in the Women’s Premier League. Since joining the Bengaluru franchise, she has become one of the most important players in the team and has led them to two WPL titles.

She is also RCB’s leading run-scorer in the competition, with 1,023 runs from 35 innings. Her consistency with the bat and leadership have made her a major figure for the franchise.

RCB head coach Malolan Rangarajan praised Mandhana’s consistency and the hard work behind her success.

“What stands out about Smriti isn’t just the runs – it’s the sheer consistency of showing up, series after series, at the very top of her game for so many years. I’ve watched her understanding of the sport deepen year on year; she’s never stood still as a batter or as a leader. Reaching this milestone doesn’t happen by accident – it’s the product of relentless discipline and the standards she holds herself to, day in and day out.”

RCB teammates praise their captain

India and RCB all-rounder Arundhati Reddy also highlighted Mandhana’s role as a player and leader. She spoke about the confidence and calmness the captain brings to the dressing room.

“Smriti has always been someone you can look up to, both as a player and as a captain. The way she prepares, the way she handles pressure and the confidence she gives everyone around her makes such a difference to the team. This record is a huge achievement, but for us, it is also a reflection of the person and leader we get to have in our dressing room.”

Radha Yadav, another member of the RCB squad, said playing alongside Mandhana has been a special experience.

“Playing alongside Smriti and having her as our captain is something we all value immensely. She brings so much calmness and clarity to the team, and she leads by example with the way she approaches the game. To see her become the leading run-scorer in international cricket is a very proud moment for all of us at RCB and Indian cricket.”