Women's cricket in 2025: From Mandhana's run spree to a World Cup breakthrough

In 2025, the Women's 50-over game took centre stage at the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Higher totals, epic chases and a new level of batting consistency marked a defining moment for Women's ODI cricket. At the heart of this transformation was India, whose historic World Cup triumph capped a year that redefined the 50-over game.

A landmark year for Women's ODI cricket

Across the calendar year, Women's ODIs saw unprecedented scoring rates, big chases, and a shift in tactical thinking. More than 90 ODIs were played globally between 16 teams, the most in a single year. 2025 was the first year in which the scoring rate was greater than five runs per over, rising to 5.08. The average runs per wicket stood at 28.85, again the highest in a year. First-innings totals regularly crossed 250. There were 25 300-plus totals, the most registered in a calendar year, well clear of 10 in 2024.

In 94 matches, there were 48 individual centuries, the most in a single year, 19 more than in 2024. The aggressive intent from batters fuelled a record 350 sixes across this calendar year, more than double the previous record set in 2022. India led the scoring rate with 6.25 runs per over, closely followed by Australia (6.11). South Africa's batters scored 13 centuries, followed by India with 11.

Numbers across the last five years of Women's ODI cricket

A key shift in 2025 was tactical: chasing became the new normal and a preferred option, guided by deeper batting and stronger power-hitting. Eight successful target chases over 250 were registered, including two historic chases over 300-plus in the World Cup, while defending totals under 280 grew increasingly unsafe.

India's dominance sets the tone

India set the pace in women's cricket in 2025. Their intent was underlined early with a record-breaking 435/5 against Ireland Women at Rajkot in January, the highest ODI total by India and among the top five in women's cricket history. India's batting depth kept constant pressure on teams, making 300-plus scores normal. India scored nine 300-plus totals in 2025, the most by any team in an ODI calendar year.

India's fighting spirit shone in the ODI series before the World Cup, nearly chasing 413 against Australia. Smriti Mandhana smashed the fastest Indian ODI century – male or female – in just 50 balls, and India recorded their first win over the serial champions since the 2017 World Cup semi-final.

India Women won 15 out of 23 ODIs this year, their win percentage of 68.2 was the second best after Australia's (84.61). India's average run per wicket was 43.09 – the best by any team in a calendar year where they played a minimum of 20 ODI matches. India also scored 41 50-plus scores this year – the most by a team, followed by South Africa (34). They hit 84 sixes this year – the second most by any team in a year after South Africa's 87.

Smriti Mandhana's record-breaking year

No one defined 2025 like Smriti Mandhana. Her year was defined by both volume and pace, setting the powerplay tone and giving India a dominant, reliable foundation.

In one of the finest years in women's ODI history, she became the first woman to score over 1000 runs in a calendar year, finishing with 1362 in 23 ODI innings, averaging 61.9 at a strike rate of 109.92, with five centuries and five fifties. Her five hundreds are the joint-most by a woman batter in an ODI calendar year, along with Tazmin Brits and Laura Wolvaardt.

Mandhana hit 32 sixes in 2025 and set a new record for most sixes in a calendar year in women's ODIs, surpassing Lizelle Lee's 28 in 2017. During the World Cup, she became the fastest woman to reach 5000 ODI runs.

Mandhana's 1362 runs in 2025 made her the first woman to breach the 1000-run mark in ODI cricket in a calendar year. Close behind was Laura Wolvaardt, who amassed 1174 runs at an average of 61.78 to become only the second woman, after Mandhana, to cross 1000 ODI runs in a year.

Most runs in a calendar year in Women's ODIs

Bowling in a batter's world

In a batter-dominated year, bowlers adapted well, especially spinners, who took about 58 percent of wickets. They used variations and attacking fields to control the middle overs.

India's Deepti Sharma emerged as the most effective wicket-taker of the World Cup year, claiming 39 wickets at an average of 27.1 and an economy of 5.12. She was the key factor in India's title triumph.

India took 163 wickets in 23 matches, with spinners taking 108 wickets (66.25%). Their 163 wickets are the second-most by any team in a calendar year in ODI cricket after South Africa's 166 in 2017. Deepti's 39 wickets are the most by a bowler in any Women's ODI calendar year. South Africa's Nonkululeko Mlaba was the second-highest wicket taker with 35 wickets.

Most wickets in a calendar year in Women's ODIs

ICC Women's World Cup 2025: India's crowning moment

Having gone through heartbreak in two finals – 2005 and 2017 – India entered the 2025 edition with a different mindset. India's campaign shone in high-pressure chases, highlighted by a semi-final 339-run heist against Australia, the highest successful chase in women's ODI history. In the final, they defeated South Africa by 52 runs to claim their maiden World Cup title, becoming the fourth nation to win the women's ODI World Cup.

Deepti, the player of the tournament, became the first woman to score 200+ runs and take 20+ wickets in a Women's ODI tournament, and the first ever to score a fifty and take five wickets in a World Cup knockout. At 21 years 279 days, Shafali Verma became the youngest Player of the Match in an ODI World Cup semi-final or final, while 36-year-old Harmanpreet Kaur became the oldest captain to win the Women's World Cup. Laura Wolvaardt led the tournament with 571 runs, but India's collective batting resolve defined the World Cup.

A season that changed expectations

The impact of 2025 went beyond records: India's World Cup win became a defining domestic moment. By year's end, the message was clear: 2025 had laid the marker for change in the game.