India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana shattered a major record of former captain Mithali Raj during the World Cup 2025 final between India and South Africa on Sunday, November 2.
Mandhana has been in strong form in the World Cup 2025 and is the top run scorer for the Women in Blue in the tournament. Coming into the final, Mandhana had 389 runs to her name with a century against New Zealand.
Meanwhile, after her strong start in the final, Mandhana broke Mithali's record for most runs by an Indian in a single World Cup edition. She needed 21 runs to go past the former skipper and did so in the first innings of the final in Navi Mumbai. Mithali held the previous record as she had scored 409 runs in the 2017 edition of the tournament in England.
Most runs by an Indian in a World Cup edition:
1 - Smriti Mandhana: 410 runs in nine innings* in 2025
2 - Mithali Raj: 409 runs in nine innings in 2017
3 - Punam Raut: 381 runs in nine innings in 2017
4 - Harmanpreet Kaur: 359 runs in eight innings in 2017
5 - Smriti Mandhana: 327 runs in seven innings in 2022
Coming to the match, India were asked to bat first after the Proteas won the toss. Both teams went unchanged in the rain-delayed fixture in Navi Mumbai. South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt reasoned the uncertain weather and due as the reason behind her decision to bowl first. Meanwhile, India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur also wanted to bowl but felt content with batting first in a big final.
India Women's Playing XI: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh(w), Amanjot Kaur, Radha Yadav, Kranti Gaud, Shree Charani, Renuka Singh Thakur
South Africa Women's Playing XI: Laura Wolvaardt(c), Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Sune Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Sinalo Jafta(w), Annerie Dercksen, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba
