Indian opening batter Smriti Mandhana broke the record for the most runs made by a woman batter in a calendar year during the Women’s World Cup match against South Africa in Visakhapatnam on Thursday. The 29-year-old went past Belinda Clark’s tally of 970 runs, which she made in 1997, with a six off Ayabonga Khaka in the eighth over of the innings.
Clark also made the first-ever double hundred in an ODI that year, when she made 229 not out against Denmark in the Women’s World Cup match held in the MIG ground in Mumbai.
Mandhana came into the match on Thursday with 959 runs in 17 ODIs at an average of 59.93 with four centuries and three half-centuries in 2025. However, she had begun her Women’s World Cup campaign on a scratchy note by scoring 8 and 23, respectively, in the first two matches against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
The southpaw is playing in her third ODI World Cup and was part of the side that finished runners-up to England in the 2017 edition, which was held in the United Kingdom. Mandhana is also nearing 5000 runs in ODIs, which will make her only the second Indian batter and the fifth overall to get to the landmark.
India came into the fixture after having won their opening two fixtures against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt won the toss and elected to field first on Thursday, after rain delayed the start of play by one hour.
Both teams made one change to their playing XI from their previous matches. South Africa brought in Tumi Sekhukhune for Masabata Klaas, while India brought back Amanjot Kaur, who missed the Pakistan match due to illness, for Renuka Singh Thakur.
Both teams will play one more match in Visakhapatnam after Thursday. India will take on Australia on Sunday, while South Africa will face Bangladesh on Monday.
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Most ODI runs in a calendar year – Women
| Player | Year | Inns | Runs | HS | Ave | SR | 100 | 50 |
| Smriti Mandhana (IND-W) | 2025 | 17 | 972* | 135 | 59.93 | 113.76 | 4 | 3 |
| Belinda Clark (AUS-W) | 1997 | 14 | 970 | 229* | 80.83 | 98.11 | 3 | 4 |
| Laura Wolvaardt (SA-W) | 2022 | 18 | 882 | 117 | 49 | 78.96 | 1 | 8 |
| Debbie Hockley (NZ-W) | 1997 | 16 | 880 | 100* | 62.85 | 64.68 | 2 | 6 |
| Amy Satterthwaite (NZ-W) | 2016 | 14 | 853 | 137* | 85.3 | 95.62 | 3 | 4 |
| Belinda Clark (AUS-W) | 2000 | 16 | 842 | 146* | 76.54 | 74.84 | 1 | 6 |
| Nat Sciver-Brunt (ENG-W) | 2022 | 16 | 833 | 148* | 59.5 | 91.43 | 2 | 5 |
| Sarah Taylor (ENG-W) | 2005 | 20 | 807 | 136 | 42.47 | 71.41 | 2 | 4 |