Lagatar24 Desk
Indian women’s cricket team opener Smriti Mandhana has achieved a remarkable milestone by being included in Time Magazine’s list of 100 most influential people in sports for 2026, becoming the only Indian athlete to feature in this year’s edition.
Mandhana Featured Alongside Messi, Ronaldo and LeBron
The Time Magazine list features athletes, coaches, supporters, and investors who have made a significant impact in the world of sport. From cricket, Mandhana and South African captain Temba Bavuma have been included. Other global sporting icons in the list include basketball star LeBron James, footballers Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, basketball player Victor Wembanyama, and golfer Rory McIlroy.
Record-Breaking Achievements That Earned Her the Recognition
Time Magazine’s profile of the 29-year-old Mumbai-born left-handed opener highlights her extraordinary record in international cricket. Mandhana is the first Indian woman to score a double century in domestic ODI cricket, the first Indian woman to score centuries in all three formats of the game, and the joint record holder for the most centuries in women’s international cricket with 17 hundreds. She is also the first woman cricketer to score more than 1,000 runs in ODI internationals in a single calendar year.
