The Team India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana will make her return to The Women’s Hundred in 2026 after being confirmed as a signing for the newly branded Manchester Super Giants. The move marks a high-profile addition to a franchise entering a fresh phase following significant structural changes ahead of the upcoming season.
The announcement was made on Wednesday and comes as Manchester’s women’s team transitions from its previous identity. The franchise, formerly known as Manchester Originals, has been reintroduced as Manchester Super Giants after the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group acquired a majority stake in partnership with Lancashire Cricket.
New identity, same home venue
Despite the change in name and ownership structure, the team will continue to host its home fixtures at Emirates Old Trafford. The rebranding aligns the Manchester side with the wider Super Giants network, which has expanded its footprint across global franchise cricket in recent years.
Speaking on the integration of the Manchester outfit into the Super Giants setup, franchise owner Sanjiv Goenka described the development as a long-term project focused on strengthening the women’s game and building a sustainable presence in English domestic cricket.
Mandhana’s impact in the Hundred
Mandhana returns to the competition after previously representing Southern Brave Women from the tournament’s inception through the 2024 season. Across four editions, the left-handed opener established herself as one of the league’s most reliable performers at the top of the order.
She accumulated 676 runs in 29 innings during that period, striking at just under 140 and registering five half-centuries. Her consistency stood out in the tournament’s formative years, and she became the first batter in the women’s competition to surpass the 500-run mark.
Among her standout contributions were consecutive half-centuries during the 2023 season and a productive 2022 campaign in which she finished as Southern Brave’s leading run-scorer.
Strong international and domestic form
The signing follows a memorable year for Mandhana on the international stage. She played a central role in India’s historic triumph at the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup in 2025, contributing crucial runs at the top of the order throughout the tournament.
She has since carried that form into domestic cricket, continuing to anchor the batting lineup for Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women in the Women’s Premier League. Her experience across conditions and formats is expected to add stability and leadership to a Manchester side seeking to establish itself under its new banner.
Mandhana’s return is likely to be one of the headline stories of the 2026 Women’s Hundred, bringing both pedigree and continuity to a competition that continues to grow in profile and depth.
