Smriti Mandhana named to TIME 100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026 — only Indian on the inaugural list
India women's cricket vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has been named on TIME magazine's inaugural 100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026 list, becoming the only Indian athlete to feature in this year's selection. The list, announced on June 16, 2026, is headlined by basketball legend LeBron James and includes football icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, tennis star Carlos Alcaraz, basketball player Victor Wembanyama, golfer Rory McIlroy and Chinese-American skier Eileen Gu, among others. Mandhana and South African Test captain Temba Bavuma are the only two cricketers on the list. Charlie Campbell, editor-at-large at TIME, highlighted Mandhana's record-breaking career — she became the first Indian woman to score a domestic-ODI double century and the first batter of either gender to register international centuries in all three formats.
Key Facts & Details
9 points- 1Smriti Mandhana, India women's cricket vice-captain, has been named in TIME magazine's inaugural '100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026' list, announced on June 16, 2026.
- 2Mandhana is the only Indian athlete on the list and one of only two cricketers, alongside South Africa Test captain Temba Bavuma.
- 3The list is headlined by LeBron James and includes Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Alcaraz, Victor Wembanyama, Rory McIlroy, Eileen Gu and other global sports figures.
- 4TIME's profile cites her record-breaking career: first Indian woman to score a domestic-ODI double century and first batter of any gender to register international centuries in all three formats — Tests, ODIs and T20Is.
- 5Charlie Campbell, TIME's editor-at-large, wrote her profile.
- 6Mandhana, born 18 July 1996 in Mumbai and a left-handed opening batter, debuted for India in 2013 and has been ranked No. 1 in the ICC Women's ODI rankings.
Deep Dive
- +Mandhana was the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year twice and was named the Wisden Leading Woman Cricketer in the World for multiple years.
- +She has been awarded the Arjuna Award (2019) by the Government of India for outstanding sporting achievement.
- +TIME magazine's annual TIME 100 Most Influential People list (started 1999) is one of the most widely tracked global influence rankings; the TIME 100 Most Influential People in Sports is a new spinoff launched in 2026.
Exam Focus
Examiners will test the magazine (TIME), the list (100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026), the Indian named (Smriti Mandhana), her role (vice-captain, India women's cricket), and the supporting fact that she is the only Indian on the list.
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Exam Relevance & Angle
An international honour for an Indian sportsperson featured alongside global icons (LeBron James, Messi, Ronaldo) is a high-frequency banking-clerk and SSC GA item. It also pairs static knowledge — Mandhana's role and records — with a current achievement, making it doubly testable.
Target Exams
Background & Context
Smriti Mandhana (born 18 July 1996, Mumbai) is one of India's most decorated women cricketers and the vice-captain of the senior women's team. She made her international debut for India in April 2013 at age 16 and is a left-handed opening batter. Her honours include the Arjuna Award (2019), the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year title twice and the Wisden Leading Woman Cricketer in the World for several years. TIME magazine, founded in 1923 and headquartered in New York City, has published its annual TIME 100 Most Influential People since 1999; the TIME 100 Most Influential People in Sports is a new spinoff launched in 2026, dedicated to athletes, coaches, advocates and leaders shaping global sport. Cricket has long been under-represented on the main TIME 100 lists; the new sports edition has changed that, featuring two cricketers in its inaugural year.
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Must KnowTest Yourself
1 / 2Who is the only Indian to feature on TIME magazine's inaugural '100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026' list?
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