Smriti Mandhana's Record 124 Powers India Women to 137-Run Rout of Hong Kong in Asia Cup

India Women delivered a dominant batting and bowling performance to demolish Hong Kong by 137 runs in their Group A fixture of the Women's T20 Asia Cup 2026 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday, becoming the first team in the tournament to book a semi-final berth.

Opener Smriti Mandhana was the star of the contest, smashing a blistering 124 runs off just 64 balls, studded with 14 fours and seven sixes at a strike rate above 193. Her innings powered India to a formidable 193 for 5 in their 20 overs, setting Hong Kong a target that ultimately proved well beyond their reach.

A record-breaking knock

Mandhana's century was a landmark innings on multiple fronts. She became the first Indian woman to score two T20I centuries in the format, and her 124 also stands as the highest individual score in Women's T20 Asia Cup history, surpassing previous benchmarks set in the tournament's history. The knock also pushed her past Mithali Raj's career T20I run tally, adding to her growing list of records in Indian women's cricket.

Mandhana reached her fifty in quick time before accelerating sharply in the back half of the innings, taking on Hong Kong's bowlers with a mix of clean hitting down the ground and inventive strokes through the leg side.

Bowlers seal the rout

In reply, Hong Kong's batting lineup never got going against India's spin-heavy attack. The visitors were bowled out for just 56 runs, with all-rounder Deepti Sharma leading the bowling effort with figures of 3 for 9. Nandani Sharma, Prema Rawat and Shree Charani chipped in with two wickets apiece as India's spinners took full control of the contest on a Dubai surface that offered turn and bounce.

The 137-run margin of victory underlined the gulf in class between the two sides and sent a strong statement from the Indian camp ahead of the tournament's business end.

What it means for India's campaign

With the win, India Women became the first side to confirm their place in the semi-finals of the Women's Asia Cup 2026, building on their earlier 94-run victory over Thailand in the group stage. The result keeps India's ambitions of reclaiming continental supremacy firmly on track, with the squad now expected to manage workloads and fine-tune combinations ahead of the knockout rounds.

For Mandhana personally, the innings adds further momentum to what has already been a standout campaign, with the opener firmly among the tournament's leading run-scorers and now holding the record for the highest individual score in the competition's history.

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