In a landmark moment for Indian cricket, Smriti Mandhana became India’s highest run-scorer in T20 Internationals, surpassing Rohit Sharma during the first T20I against South Africa women’s national cricket team in Durban on April 18, 2026.

Historic milestone for Mandhana

Mandhana entered the match tied with Rohit Sharma at 4,231 runs. With a brief but significant innings, she moved ahead to reach 4,244 runs, setting a new benchmark for Indian players in T20Is.

She achieved this feat in 155 innings, maintaining:

• Average: 30.31
• Strike rate: 124.38
• 1 century and 33 half-centuries

This milestone also elevates her to second place in the all-time list of women’s T20I run-scorers, behind Suzie Bates, who leads with 4,717 runs. In men’s T20Is, the overall record is held by Babar Azam.

Top Indian T20I run-scorers

• Smriti Mandhana – 4,244
• Rohit Sharma – 4,231
• Virat Kohli – 4,188
• Harmanpreet Kaur – 3,869
• Suryakumar Yadav – 3,272

Match summary: South Africa take 1–0 lead

Despite Mandhana’s record-breaking achievement, the result did not go India’s way. South Africa women’s national cricket team chased down a target of 158 comfortably, winning by six wickets and taking a 1–0 lead in the five-match series.

Captain Laura Wolvaardt anchored the chase with a composed 51, ensuring stability at the top. Annerie Dercksen played a crucial finishing role, remaining unbeaten on 44 to guide her side home.

India’s innings: Solid but lacking finish

India posted 157/7, with contributions from:

• Harmanpreet Kaur – 47*
• Shafali Verma – 34
• Jemimah Rodrigues – 36

While the innings had a strong foundation, India struggled to accelerate in the death overs, leaving the total slightly below par.

South Africa’s bowling performance

The hosts delivered a disciplined bowling effort:

• Ayabonga Khaka – 3/16
• Tumi Sekhukhune – 2 wickets
• Nonkululeko Mlaba – 1 wicket

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will face Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Match 27 of the Indian Premier League 2026 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Saturday.

Both teams have had similar results so far in the tournament, but their positions on the points table differ due to net run rate.

Team Form & Standings

• Chennai Super Kings are currently placed 8th, with:
  • 2 wins and 3 losses in 5 matches
  • Signs of regaining momentum in recent games
• Sunrisers Hyderabad sit at 5th place, with:
  • 2 wins and 3 losses
  • A stronger net run rate boosting their position

This makes the clash crucial for both teams as they aim to climb the table.

Pitch Report – Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium

The pitch at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium is widely known to favor batters, especially in T20 matches.

Key Pitch Characteristics:

• Flat surface with consistent bounce
• Ideal for stroke play and big hitting
• High-scoring matches are common
• Minimal assistance for bowlers early on

Bowling Impact:

• Pacers may get some movement in the initial overs
• Spinners could play a role in the middle overs, especially if the pitch slows down

Toss Factor & Strategy

• Teams winning the toss may prefer to bat first
• A total of 180+ is often competitive, but not always safe on this ground
• Dew in the second innings can sometimes influence chasing teams

Key Players to Watch

Sunrisers Hyderabad

• Pat Cummins (captain) – leadership and pace
• Travis Head – explosive batting
• Heinrich Klaasen – middle-order power

Chennai Super Kings

• Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain) – consistency at the top
• MS Dhoni – finishing ability
• Shivam Dube – power-hitting in middle overs

Match Outlook

Given the batting-friendly nature of the surface, fans can expect:

• A run-fest with big totals
• Aggressive intent from both teams
• The match likely to be decided by bowling execution in death overs

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru are set to face Delhi Capitals in Match 26 of the Indian Premier League 2026 at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 18.

With both teams aiming to strengthen their position in the points table, the clash promises to be an exciting contest.

Current Form and Standings

Royal Challengers Bengaluru have been in excellent form this season. With four wins in five matches, they currently sit second in the standings and look like strong title contenders once again. Led by Rajat Patidar, the team has shown consistency with both bat and ball, with key contributions from stars like Virat Kohli.

On the other hand, Delhi Capitals have had a mixed start. With two wins and two losses from four matches, they are placed sixth on the table. The side will be eager to find momentum and climb higher with a win against a top-performing RCB.

RCB vs DC Head-to-Head Record

Historically, Royal Challengers Bengaluru have dominated this fixture.

• Total matches played: 33
• RCB wins: 20
• DC wins: 12
• No result: 1

The numbers clearly favor RCB, but T20 cricket is unpredictable, and DC have the firepower to turn the tables.

Key Players to Watch

For RCB, players like Virat Kohli, Tim David, and Josh Hazlewood will be crucial. Their experience and match-winning ability make them a formidable unit at home.

Delhi Capitals will rely heavily on players such as KL Rahul, David Miller, and Kuldeep Yadav to deliver under pressure.

Match Context

The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is known for its batting-friendly pitch and short boundaries, often leading to high-scoring encounters. This gives both teams an opportunity to showcase their batting depth.

With RCB aiming to maintain their winning momentum and DC looking to bounce back, fans can expect a competitive and entertaining match.

Full Squads

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Rajat Patidar (c), Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Jacob Bethell, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nuwan Thushara, Rasikh Salam, Abhinandan Singh, Suyash Sharma, Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Duffy, Satvik Deswal, Mangesh Yadav, Jordan Cox, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra, Kanishk Chouhan

Delhi Capitals

Nitish Rana, Abishek Porel, Ajay Mandal, Ashutosh Sharma, Axar Patel, Dushmantha Chameera, Karun Nair, KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, Madhav Tiwari, Mitchell Starc, Sameer Rizvi, T Natarajan, Tripurana Vijay, Tristan Stubbs, Vipraj Nigam, David Miller, Ben Duckett, Auqib Nabi, Pathum Nissanka, Lungi Ngidi, Sahil Parakh, Prithvi Shaw, Kyle Jamieson