Shining bright once more, Smriti Mandhana takes home another honor in a journey packed with standout moments. This time it is the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year title for 2025, awarded after a season that carved its name deep into women’s cricket lore. Leading runs, bold strokes, calm under pressure – her year spoke through performance rather than noise. Recognition follows where impact lands hardest, and hers echoed across grounds and generations alike.

She turns 29, now playing stronger than ever before. This honor goes beyond stats, medals, because what matters more is how she changed Indian sports forever. Staying steady when things got tough became her mark. A fresh chapter in women’s cricket? Her presence helped write it.

A World Cup Campaign to Remember

What stood out most in Mandhana’s year was her performance at the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup, where India claimed a landmark victory. With Harmanpreet Kaur leading the side, Mandhana – wearing the vice-captain’s badge – brought calmness and elegance through every match. Though pressure mounted, her presence held steady. Each innings reflected control, each decision carried weight. Moments blurred into consistency. Leadership showed not in speeches, but in posture. Cricket moved slower when she faced the ball. Teammates watched. Opponents noticed. Success wasn’t sudden – it built quietly.

Starting strong, she collected 434 runs, standing out among top scorers while holding India’s batting together the whole tournament. When early dismissals struck, she stayed calm; later, when speed mattered, she pushed harder – showing a depth few possess at that level.

Yet it wasn’t just the runs that caught attention – she showed up when moments grew heavy, calm amid chaos for India. Tournament play rewards steady hands, not flash-in-the-pan sparks. She gave them rhythm, match after match.

Right after getting the award, she called 2025 a standout moment for women’s cricket, thankful to be part of India’s rise. Her words showed quiet pride – something people have always noticed about her, even with fame around every corner.

Breaking records redefining standards

One name stands out when runs pile up steadily over years. Seventeen times she has crossed three figures on the global stage, matching Meg Lanning’s tall mark. Her place among today’s top scorers rests firmly on those innings. Records like these do not come by chance.

A memorable moment arrived in September, after she blasted a hundred off just fifty balls versus Australia – beating Virat Kohli’s earlier record and marking the swiftest century in 50-over international cricket by any Indian player.

Shattering a milestone tied to Kohli – India’s iconic batsman – meant more than headlines. This shift whispered change, showing women’s cricket stepping into light, no longer lingering behind.

Mandhana is currently ranked among

• Leading run-getters across women’s ODI matches.
• Second on the list when it comes to most ODI hundreds by a woman cricketer.
• Right now, these three players lead the world in runs scored. One stands out with consistent knocks. Another climbs steadily through sheer grit. The third? A steady hand under pressure.

Staying at that height for so long? Uncommon. While plenty rise fast only to fade, Mandhana sticks around – showing up differently depending on the game, the pitch, year after year. A full ten years now.

From Sangli to global stages

Out of Sangli, Maharashtra, Mandhana found her start through family backing and local matches. Her dad and brother played at the district level, sparking her early interest. At 16, she stepped onto the global stage. One moment led to the next.

Starting so young might have worn her out. Yet somehow, it sharpened how she reads the game. As years passed, talent alone turned into steady guidance on the field.

What stands out is how smoothly she shifts between Test, ODI, and T20I play, showing more than just clean strokes. Instead of flashy moves, it’s the timing behind her cover drive that echoes older generations. While some admire form, others notice how she reads each game differently. Still, grace in motion remains part of what defines her approach at the crease.

Success Outside International Cricket

Mandhana shines beyond India’s borders too. Leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the WPL, she claimed two championships – proof of her strength when stakes climb. Pressure doesn’t slow her; it sharpens her game instead.

Not every stage challenges cricketers in the same way. Global names mix with fresh strategies under bright lights and heavy attention. To rise, sharp thinking matters just as much as clean hitting. Shafali’s presence across formats shows she bends without breaking – like those who define eras. What counts is not just power but staying steady when pace changes.

Chosen by Sporting Legends

A panel of respected judges chose the BBC prize. Their names were listed in no particular order. Each brought experience from different corners of media. Selection relied on insight, not popularity. The process lasted several weeks. Final talks happened behind closed doors. No public voting took place. Winners emerged after long debate

• Leander Paes
• Deepa Malik
• Anju Bobby George

What stands out is the mix of people on that panel. Seeing competitors from separate sports honor one another shows a deeper kind of admiration. Not just about cricket here – instead, an acknowledgment reaching beyond boundaries. Worth noting how wide the influence stretches.

Top boss at BBC News, Jonathan Munro, gave kudos to those who won, saying their work stood out while reaching viewers far beyond just India. Their impact? It sparked interest way outside local borders.

Other Top Prize Recipients

Fans watched Mandhana take centre stage, yet the event also celebrated multiple sports stars. Though she drew most attention, others stood alongside her under the lights. Her moment sparkled bright, while their achievements quietly filled the room. Not just one name echoed that night – many names found space on the list

Emerging Player of the Year

Divya Deshmukh

Fifty moves into her career, the 20-year-old claimed the FIDE Women’s World Cup, shifting how India sees its place in chess.

Para Sportswoman of the Year

Preethi Pal

She took home two bronze medals during the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, competing in track and field events. While many watched closely, her performances stood out through steady pacing and sharp execution. Though the competition was tough, she held her ground across multiple rounds. Because preparation mattered most, months of training showed clearly when it counted.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Anjali Bhagwat

First Indian female shooter to make it to an Olympic final, carving a path in the sport. Her presence at that level opened doors where few had gone before. Not just a participant – she stood among the best on global soil. This moment shifted how talent was seen across the country. Quiet strength defined her approach, not loud promises. Progress came through precision, one round at a time.

Star Performers and Changemakers

The ceremony also celebrated teams and individuals reshaping Indian sport:

• India women’s national cricket team – For their historic World Cup victory.
• Victory lit up their faces after lifting the World Cup trophy. That moment arrived through relentless effort behind closed doors. Cheers echoed not just for skill but for what it meant to break unseen barriers. A nation watched, eyes wide, as history unfolded differently than before. Triumph wasn’t borrowed – it was built innings by inning. Blindness didn’t define them; dominance did.
• India women’s national kabaddi team – For their dominant World Cup campaign.
• Facing cold rinks far from home, these athletes carve paths where few expected. Not born into spotlight, they rise through stubborn practice. A squad rewriting what Indian winters can mean. Hidden strength shows up in sharp passes, quiet grit. This game was never meant for them – now it belongs just as much.

Praised for their impact on field hockey, figures like Rajbir Kaur alongside Savita Punia received recognition. Their efforts, long felt across the sport, finally took centre stage.

Something deeper shows up in these awards – a shift growing inside Indian women’s sports. While cricket grabs most attention, strong performances now rise everywhere else too.

Mandhana Among Greatest Already?

A fresh look at things might ask this: By age 29, has Mandhana reached a level where she stands among India’s finest cricket players, regardless of gender?

On one hand:

• World Cup winner.
• Record-equalling centuries.
• Franchise league champion.
• International icon.

Far from being similar, though

• Greatness tends to stick around. Length of impact shapes how we see it.
• Faster shifts mark today’s female athletes, seen across continents. Tougher matchups now shape play, far beyond past limits.
• Only time will tell how history views what comes next.

Fame feels real when it’s fresh. Yet time often reshapes how we see it, stretching favor or fading regard long after the spotlight dims.

Yet her impact goes beyond runs scored. This shift happened as she stepped into the spotlight. A moment when girls saw themselves on big screens. Not only did attention grow, but respect followed closely behind. Coverage once rare became routine during her rise. What was sidelined moved center stage without fanfare. Her presence made space where none seemed possible.

Beyond Numbers Cultural Influence

What happens when recognition shifts? Moments such as the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year bring hidden paths into view. Her path, shaped by quiet persistence, reveals more than stats ever could

• The rise of professional women’s leagues.
• Seeing everyone shown the same way on TV. Fair treatment across news and shows.
• Expanding commercial value in women’s sport.

Something shifted when young girls watched the 2025 World Cup. Not only was there a team holding up a trophy – they glimpsed a route forward. Because of who stood on that field, what felt possible also changed.

Here’s another angle though. Even if we cheer solo wins, spotlighting stars might dim the group grind. The game still runs on unity. Sure, Mandhana delivered big moments – titles though? Those come from everyone pushing together.

Stillness hides inside every roar of triumph, yet echoes move through shared effort. A single spotlight dims when voices rise together. Moments stretch where personal shine meets the hush of unity. This pull – sharp, quiet – shapes how games breathe.

What Comes Next?

Facing Australia now, Mandhana plays across formats with India’s squad. What follows may challenge her most

• Her adaptability against evolving bowling attacks.
• Her leadership growth.
• What stands out is how she stays at her best, even with all the demands from the franchise pulling at her time.

Staying on top takes more effort than getting there ever did.

Final Thoughts

That 2025 stretch? It left marks across Indian women’s cricket like few others. A strong World Cup run, followed by wins in franchise leagues – then came the BBC award named for India’s top female athlete. Her spot near the very top feels earned, not given.

What stands out most might just be how her tale keeps growing. Still.

Numbers speak loud. Still, more keeps coming. Fans everywhere know the name now.

Beyond 2025 lies a deeper uncertainty – could what we saw be only the opening chapter? The true measure might not come until years later.