India women’s cricket vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has been named in TIME magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026, making her the only Indian to feature on the prestigious global list.
The annual list by TIME highlights athletes, coaches, advocates, and investors who are shaping the global sports landscape. This year’s edition is headlined by basketball legend LeBron James and also includes major international stars such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Alcaraz, Rory McIlroy, Eileen Gu, and Victor Wembanyama.
Mandhana, 29, has been recognised for her outstanding achievements in women’s cricket and her consistent performance across formats. TIME highlighted her record-breaking career, noting that she was the first Indian woman to score a double century in a domestic one-day match and the first Indian woman to score a century in all three international formats.
The profile also noted that she jointly holds the record for the most international centuries in women’s cricket, with 17 tons to her name, along with being the first woman to score over 1,000 ODI runs in a single calendar year.
Mandhana has also made significant contributions as a leader, having captained Royal Challengers Bangalore to Women’s Premier League titles in 2024 and 2026. She also served as vice-captain when India won the ICC Women’s World Cup, finishing as one of the top run-scorers in the tournament.
Her consistent performances over the years saw her break the record for the most international runs in a calendar year in 2024, a milestone she surpassed again the following year. Her achievements also earned her the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year 2025 award.
The recognition further strengthens Mandhana’s position as one of the most influential figures in women’s cricket globally.
