Smriti Mandhana proved her big-match credentials yet again by smashing a half-century against Pakistan during their Women's T20 World Cup 2026 match. While the innings not only put India on course for a strong total but it also saw Mandhana equal a huge feat set by former captain Mithali Raj. Opting to bat first, India reached 117/4 in 15 overs and a 68-ball 44 ball effort from Mandhana was the driving force behind the score. She hammered 9 boundaries and two sixes during the innings and maintained a strike rate in excess of 154. The opener provided solidity and acceleration to the innings, with both Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues dismissed inside the first few overs. Mandhana Anchors India's Innings Despite India reeling at 18/2 in the very early stages, the opener remained at the crease and took charge. She smashed attacking strokes all over the ground and didn't allow the Pakistan bowlers to settle down. She then paired up with captain Harmanpreet Kaur (unbeaten on 32 from 29 balls) and they went on to rebuild the innings, putting India in a commanding position. Her knock finally came to an end in the 14th over as she was caught off Rameen Shamim after an excellent 68 and she had already done enough damage. Also Read | Who will win the 2026 ICC Women's T20 World Cup? Nasser Hussain picks from tough WC Group Mandhana Joins Mithali and Harmanpreet in Elite Company The knock proved to be a landmark achievement for Mandhana as it was her fifth fifty-plus score in the Women's T20 World Cup, and she joined Mithali and Harmanpreet for most fifties by an Indian batter. Most 50+ Scores For India In Women's T20 World Cups Mithali Raj - 5 (23 innings) Harmanpreet Kaur - 5 (34 innings) Smriti Mandhana - 5 (26 innings) Punam Raut - 3 (15 innings) Another Big-Match Performance Mandhana has been India's most consistent performer in ICC events over the years and this knock was a perfect demonstration of that. Although the Pakistan bowlers kept chipping away with wickets, they couldn't restrict the free-flowing Mandhana and she ensured India were always on top of the game. With Harmanpreet Kaur still at the crease, India looked set to register a huge score but Mandhana's knock equalled Mithali and Harmanpreet's feat. At 29 years, Mandhana now has a huge opportunity to surpass both Mithali and Harmanpreet and go on to become the leading Indian batter in Women's T20 WC history.