Cricketer Smriti Mandhana was just announced as the Indian Sportswoman of the Year at a recent event, and we can’t stop screaming! One of India’s most respected and easily recognised figures today, this award comes amid major professional successes. The vice-captain of the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup-winning team, she also captained Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to victory in the 2026 Women’s Premier League. Read more about the ceremony, other nominees, and Mandhana’s upcoming matches below!
Smriti Mandhana Is 2025’s Indian Sportswoman Of The Year!
Nominated alongside the who’s who of Indian sports, the 29-year-old cricketer won the BBC award on Monday, February 18, 2025. While she was absent due to an ongoing match series, she sent a video message thanking the organisers. Additionally, she spoke about 2025 being a “special year for women’s cricket” and that she was “happy [she] could contribute.” The World Cup was a definite highlight, but she was thankful to facilitate match wins for India in 2025.
The jury consisted of tennis legend Leander Paes, paraathlete Deepa Malik, and former long jumper Anju Bobby George. Also shortlisted for the honour were Indian cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur, ace shooter Suruchi Singh, hurdle champion Jyothi Yarraji, and chess grandmaster Divya Deshmukh.
Smriti Mandhana, along with the Indian women’s team, is currently in Australia for a bilateral, multiformat tour. They defeated their hosts by 21 runs (calculated by the DLS method) on February 15 in the first T20 match. The next one is scheduled for Thursday, February 19. After three T20 matches (till February 24) and three ODIs (till March 1), the series will conclude with a single test match from March 6-9, 2026.
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Smriti Mandhana’s win of the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year is certainly well-deserved. For a country that breathes cricket, the Indian Women’s Cricket Team has shown that their team is worth following. Winning the World Cup last year marked an important victory for women in sport. Names like Smriti, Harmanpreet, Jemimah, Deepti, and more are household names, and by god are we happy to live in this world.
Also Read: Did You Know Smriti Mandhana Is Now Second Richest Indian Woman Cricketer? Find Out Her Net Worth!