Mandhana Shafali 162 Partnership: A New Dawn for Indian Women’s Cricket
In a display of breathtaking aggression and flawless timing, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma didn’t just open the innings—they blew the roof off women’s T20I cricket in India. During the 2025 clash against Sri Lanka, the dynamic duo stitched together a staggering 162-run opening partnership in just 15.2 overs, setting a new benchmark as the highest stand for any wicket in India’s women’s T20I history .
This wasn’t just another big score. It was a statement—a declaration that India’s top order has evolved from promising to unstoppable. And it powered India to its highest-ever women’s T20I total, redefining what’s possible in the shortest format.
Table of Contents
- The Record-Breaking Innings
- Mandhana Shafali 162 Partnership: Why It Matters
- Breakdown of Their Knock
- How It Compares to Global Standards
- Impact on India’s T20I Strategy
- What’s Next for the Dream Opening Pair?
- Conclusion: A New Era of Power Hitting
- Sources
The Record-Breaking Innings
The stage was set in December 2025, as India faced Sri Lanka in a high-stakes T20I. What followed was pure carnage. Mandhana, fresh off her 10,000-run milestone, brought her trademark elegance, while Shafali unleashed her raw, unfiltered power.
Together, they dismantled the Sri Lankan bowling attack with surgical precision. By the time Shafali was dismissed in the 16th over, the scoreboard read 162/1—the highest partnership ever for India in women’s T20Is, surpassing the previous record of 143 set by Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur in 2022 .
Their stand didn’t just boost the total—it demoralized the opposition and shifted momentum irreversibly. India went on to post its highest women’s T20I total, a figure that now stands as a new national benchmark.
Mandhana Shafali 162 Partnership: Why It Matters
This partnership is significant for three key reasons:
- Historic Benchmark: It’s the first 150+ opening stand in India’s women’s T20I history.
- Strategic Shift: Proves India can now dominate powerplays like Australia or England.
- Psychological Edge: Sends a clear message to rivals: India’s openers are not just starters—they’re finishers in disguise.
In modern T20 cricket, the first six overs often decide the match. Mandhana and Shafali didn’t just survive them—they weaponized them.
Breakdown of Their Knock
Let’s look at their individual contributions during the Mandhana Shafali 162 partnership:
- Smriti Mandhana: Scored a fluent 84 off 58 balls, featuring 9 boundaries and 3 sixes. Her strike rate of 144.8 showcased her ability to rotate strike while punishing loose deliveries.
- Shafali Verma: Blasted 76 off just 42 balls, with 8 sixes—the most by an Indian woman in a T20I innings against Sri Lanka. Her assault in overs 7–12 changed the game’s trajectory .
What made their stand special was synergy. Mandhana anchored while Shafali attacked; when one slowed, the other accelerated. It was a masterclass in complementary batting.
How It Compares to Global Standards
Globally, opening stands of 150+ are rare but not unheard of. The all-time women’s T20I record is 164 by Australia’s Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney. India’s 162 now ranks among the top five highest partnerships worldwide in the last five years .
According to the International Cricket Council (ICC), only four opening pairs have crossed 160 runs in women’s T20Is since the format’s inception in 2004 . Mandhana and Shafali’s knock places India firmly in that elite company—right alongside powerhouses like Australia and England.
Impact on India’s T20I Strategy
Historically, India’s women’s team leaned on middle-order stability. But with this partnership, the blueprint is changing.
Head coach Amol Muzumdar now has a luxury: two openers who can consistently deliver 100+ runs in the powerplay. This allows the middle order—featuring players like Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma—to play more freely, knowing the foundation is rock-solid.
Moreover, in high-pressure tournaments like the T20 World Cup, this aggressive start can be the difference between a competitive total and an unassailable one. For more on India’s evolving T20 tactics, see our analysis on [INTERNAL_LINK:india-womens-t20-world-cup-strategy].
What’s Next for the Dream Opening Pair?
With the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup on the horizon, this opening combo is India’s biggest weapon. Mandhana, now over 10,000 international runs, brings experience and composure. Shafali, still only 21, offers explosive potential and fearless intent.
If they maintain this form, they could become the most feared opening pair in world cricket—capable of dismantling any bowling attack on any surface. The challenge? Consistency. But after this record, belief is no longer an issue.
Conclusion: A New Era of Power Hitting
The Mandhana Shafali 162 partnership is more than a statistic—it’s a turning point. It signals that Indian women’s cricket has fully embraced the modern T20 ethos: aggression, confidence, and boundary-hitting from ball one.
As fans, we’re not just watching a team—we’re witnessing the rise of a dynasty in the making. And it all starts with two women at the crease, rewriting history, one six at a time.