'Legend in making' - Netizens wish Smriti Mandhana as star batter turns 26

Indian women’s team star opener Smriti Mandhana turned 26 on Monday (July 18). The left-handed batter has been one of the consistent performers for the Women in Blue. Opening the batting, she has given several quality starts with the bat and the dasher would be looking to continue her good form ahead as well.

The stylish player made her T20I and ODI debuts against Bangladesh in 2013. Just one year after, she was included in the Test squad as well and she played her debut Test match against England. Talking about her numbers in the international arena, the left-handed batter has stroked 325 runs in just four Test matches. She has impressed in the white-ball format as well. Mandhana has stroked 2,892 runs in 74 ODIs, including five hundreds and 23 half-centuries. In T20Is, she has amassed 2,033 runs in 87 matches with 14 half-centuries to her name.

Smriti Mandhana holds the record of being the youngest Indian captain in T20Is

The left-handed batter also holds the record of being the youngest skipper to lead Team India in the T20I format. Mandhana is also the second-fastest Indian to amass 1,000 runs in the shortest format of the game in the international arena. With several records to her name, Mandhana is also a brilliant fielder and tries to give her 100% in the field.

Talking about her early cricket days, Mandhana was selected for the Under-19 team when she was just 17 years old. She grabbed the limelight after stroking an excellent 224 not out off 150 balls against Gujarat in October 2013. As a result, Mandhana became the first Indian women’s player to score a double century in a limited-over format.

Mandhana also has the record of smashing the fastest fifty for the Women in Blue, having smashed 50 off 24 balls against New Zealand. The left-handed batter has also been crowned as the ICC women’s cricketer of the year twice, in 2018 and 2021 and she has also been conferred with the Arjuna Award in 2019.

Meanwhile here are some Twitter reactions to Mandhana’s birthday:

Wishing one of the most gifted batters, 𝐒𝐦𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐚, a very happy birthday from #OneFamily 💙

𝘉𝘩𝘢𝘳 𝘥𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘱𝘯𝘪 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘦, 𝘗𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘢𝘯 🤩#OneFamily @BCCI @mandhana_smriti pic.twitter.com/lq5UhFOXYt

— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) July 18, 2022

1⃣6⃣5⃣ international matches 👍
5⃣2⃣5⃣0⃣ international runs 👌

Here's wishing @mandhana_smriti – one of the finest modern-day batters & #TeamIndia's ODI & T20I vice-captain – a very happy birthday. 👏 🎂 pic.twitter.com/VSTSXT1Qp6

— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) July 18, 2022

Crush of India✨️✨️
Happy Birthday Smriti Mandhana🤩🎂🎂#SmritiMandhana pic.twitter.com/Wsvj9VfliV

— Itsmeanfu18.. (@itsmeanfu18) July 18, 2022

Happy birthday to one of the finest of India women's cricket, @mandhana_smriti. She is the only Indian to win the ICC women's Cricketer of the year award twice. pic.twitter.com/McYJDVePSC

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 18, 2022

Happy Birthday @mandhana_smriti – she is the first Indian Women batter to score a Test hundred in Australia. pic.twitter.com/HkJxFYTUHO

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 18, 2022

A run machine and a legend-in-the-making! 🙌

Happy birthday, @mandhana_smriti 💜 pic.twitter.com/8r8YA9ESTy

— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) July 18, 2022

#HappyBirthdaySmritiMandhana
Happy birthday my all time fav @mandhana_smriti wishing u the best for coming yrs keep smiling always queen❤️😍 pic.twitter.com/aaCS9IE2Vh

— ❤️AK Xavier❤️ (@VedalamXavier) July 18, 2022

Happy Birthday di pondatti 😚🙈💘..@mandhana_smriti ❤️#SmritiMandhana pic.twitter.com/H7VPvqFGUH

— ŞĦΔĐØŴ ŞŦΔŘ ⭐ (@shadow_star___) July 18, 2022

Happy birthday The Queen of Indian Cricket Smriti Mandhana🎂🎉🎁#CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/3AAorTX2nF

— Ashish Yadav🇮🇳 (@CrickAshish) July 18, 2022