The ongoing T20 International (T20I) series between England and visitors India, though only halfway through, has already been eventful, with several records broken after just two matches.
In the series opener, India’s stand-in captain Smriti Mandhana became the first Indian and only the fifth woman overall to score centuries in all international formats. Her 112 runs, crafted with trademark elegance, now stand as the highest individual score by an Indian in Women’s T20Is.
In the bowling department, debutant Shree Charani impressed with a four-wicket haul, becoming only the second Indian to achieve this feat on WT20I debut, following Sravanthi Naidu’s 4 for 9 against Bangladesh in 2014. This 97-run loss in the first T20I is England’s biggest loss (by runs) in WT20Is.
The two captains aggregated 178 (112 and 66) runs between them in the first match, the second-highest combined total by opposing captains in a women’s T20I involving at least one full-member side. The highest remains 182, scored by Suzie Bates (124) and Dane van Niekerk (58) in the New Zealand vs South Africa match at Taunton in 2018.
In the second match, Harmanpreet Kaur, the regular captain, returned. India’s 24-run victory helped Harmanpreet Kaur surpass former England captain Heather Knight for the most T20I wins as captain, with 73 wins in the 124 matches she has led India. In the same game, the 150th appearance for India’s vice-captain, Smriti Mandhana, made her the seventh most-capped player in WT20Is.
The defeat in the second T20I was England Women’s first T20I loss at the County Ground in Bristol. It was also the first time they have lost two matches in a five-match bilateral T20I series. Another record was broken in the second match of the five-match series. Although the Indian opening pair stitched together a partnership of just 14 runs before Shafali Verma was dismissed, it was enough to surpass the Australian duo of Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney.
Entering the match with 2,713 runs combined, Mandhana and Verma needed just 8 more to surpass Healy and Mooney’s record of 2,720 runs. They reached this milestone in style, scoring 11 runs in the first over, taking them to the top.
1) Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma (India)
2727 runs, 79 innings
The pair now have 2,727 runs from 79 innings, including 21 stands of 50 or more runs, with 3 century partnerships: their highest being 143 runs against the West Indies. The Indian pair’s 21st fifty-plus partnership in Women’s T20Is came during the first T20I in Nottingham, making it the most by any pair in the format. The duo averages nearly 36 runs over 79 innings, including 3 not-out partnerships.
2) Alyssa Healy, Beth Mooney (Australia)
2720 runs, 84 innings
The Australian stalwarts they surpassed, Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney, have scored 2,720 runs from 84 innings. The duo has recorded 20 fifty-plus partnerships and average nearly 34, with their highest stand being 151 runs.
3) Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine (New Zealand)
2556 runs, 79 innings
In third place are New Zealand legends Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine. The ‘White Ferns’ have added 2,556 runs together in 79 innings, including 18 partnerships of 50 or more runs, with an average of 32.76. Their highest partnership is 182 against South Africa.
4) Esha Oza, Theertha Satish (United Arab Emirates)
1985 runs, 57 innings
Interestingly, the fourth and fifth spots are held by players from the United Arab Emirates. Fourth place is held by Esha Oza and Theertha Satish, who have compiled 1,985 runs together in just 57 innings. Their highest partnership is 192 runs against Qatar, achieved this May in Bangkok.
5) Kavisha Egodage, Esha Oza (United Arab Emirates)
1976 runs, 50 innings
Esha Oza also features in fifth place on the top five list, this time alongside Kavisha Egodage. The UAE duo have scored 1,976 runs together in just 50 innings, averaging nearly 43. In 2022, they achieved their highest partnership of 193 runs against Bahrain.
The Indian duo’s consistency has made them one of the most feared opening pairs in world cricket and a key pillar in India’s ambitions in ICC tournaments. With a combined tally of 2,727 runs, Mandhana and Verma not only demonstrate exceptional quality but also remarkable consistency and efficiency over the years.
