New Delhi: Vice-captain of India Smriti Mandhana has bagged another prestigious accolade after being named in TIME magazine’s list of 100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026, emerging as the only Indian to feature in the star-studded global line-up.The annual list recognizes athletes, coaches, investors and advocates who are “shaping sports today”. Basketball legend LeBron James headlines this year’s edition, alongside football icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldotennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz, golfer Rory McIlroy, skier Elaine Gow, NBA star Victor Vembanayama and FIFA president Gianni Infantino.South Africa captain Temba Buoma And New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson is also among the prominent names on the list.
Mandhana’s spectacular rise is universally acclaimed.
Time highlighted Mandhana’s outstanding achievements, noting how “records keep breaking” for the Mumbai-born opener.The 29-year-old became the first Indian woman to score a double century in a domestic ODI game and the country’s first batsman to score centuries in all three international formats. She also holds the joint record for most centuries in women’s international cricket with 17.Mandhana was also the first woman to score more than 1000 ODI runs in a calendar year.However, TIME noted that the left-hander is most proud of the team’s achievements he has helped achieve.Mandhana captained Royal Challengers Bengaluru to Women’s Premier League titles in 2024 and 2026, while also serving as vice-captain during India’s victorious ICC Women’s ODI World Cup campaign last year, finishing as the tournament’s second-highest run-scorer.Her extraordinary consistency saw her set the record for the most international runs by a woman across all formats in 2024 and surpass her own mark in 2025, a feat that saw her named the BBC Indian Sports Woman of the Year.The latest accolade places Mandhana in elite company and further highlights her growing stature as one of the most influential figures in world sport and the leading face of Indian women’s cricket.
