Dubai, September 4 (Daily Kiran) : Smriti Mandhana delivered a spectacular performance in the Women’s Asia Cup 2026, leading the Indian team to a resounding victory against Hong Kong, China.
Before the match, Mandhana had a significant conversation with her injured teammate, Jemimah Rodrigues, which helped ease her nerves.
Mandhana scored an explosive 124 runs off just 64 balls, hitting 14 boundaries and 7 sixes. Thanks to her remarkable innings, India triumphed over Hong Kong by 137 runs, securing their place in the semifinals with this second consecutive win.
With this century, Mandhana has now become the player with the most centuries in women’s international cricket, surpassing Meg Lanning with a total of 18. She has also outpaced Mithali Raj as the leading run-scorer in women’s cricket.
In a video shared by the BCCI on their social media platform, Mandhana reflected on Jemimah’s supportive message posted on Instagram after her century. Mandhana recalled, “I remember being on a video call with her, and she wished me luck. Jemimah said, ‘This is going to be a tough match. Let’s see how many runs you make.'”
The friendship between Mandhana and Rodrigues is well-known among fans, who affectionately refer to them as the “Wrong Sisters.” Unfortunately, Rodrigues is currently sidelined from the Asia Cup due to a hamstring injury sustained during “The Hundred” tournament in England. Mandhana expressed her feelings, saying, “I was quite stressed and nervous, especially since you don’t know how the opposing bowlers will perform. I think I can tease her now, but we all miss her here.”