India’s captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, made history on Wednesday, October 9, by becoming only the third player to surpass 3,500 runs in Women’s T20 Internationals (WT20Is). She achieved this milestone during India’s 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup match against Sri Lanka in Dubai.
Kaur’s impressive knock saw her remain unbeaten on 52 runs off just 27 deliveries, striking at an exceptional rate of 192.59. Her innings included one six and eight boundaries, marking her 13th half-century in WT20Is.
She joins an elite group of players, with New Zealand opener Suzie Bates (4481 runs in 167 matches) and her fellow Indian, Smriti Mandhana (3562 runs in 144 games), being the only others to have crossed the 3,500-run mark. Former Australian captain Meg Lanning (3405 runs) and West Indian all-rounder Sarah Taylor (3386*) round out the top five leading run-getters in WT20Is.
Top 3 Run-Getters in WT20Is:
- Suzie Bates – 4481 runs in 164 innings
- Smriti Mandhana – 3562 runs in 138 innings
- Harmanpreet Kaur – 3522 runs in 156 innings
Kaur and Mandhana Lead India to a Strong Total Against Sri Lanka Harmanpreet Kaur’s remarkable half-century, along with opener Smriti Mandhana’s 50 off 38 balls, powered India to a challenging 172/3 in their match against Sri Lanka. Mandhana’s innings included one six and four boundaries, while Shafali Verma also contributed a solid 43 off 40 deliveries.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers struggled to contain India’s top order, with only skipper Chamari Athapaththu and Ama Kanchana managing to claim one wicket each.
At the time of writing, Sri Lanka was in deep trouble, struggling at 61/6, with Kanchana and Sugandika Kumari trying to salvage the innings.
If India secures a dominant victory, it will be their second consecutive win in the tournament, boosting their net run rate as they push for a spot in the semifinals. They bounced back from a defeat against New Zealand in their opening game by 58 runs with a six-wicket win over Pakistan in their second fixture.
India’s final group-stage game will be a critical clash against defending champions Australia in Sharjah on Sunday, October 13.