Indian star Smriti Mandhana and South Africa captain Temba Bavuma have been recognized among the most influential athletes in the world after being included in TIME magazine’s prestigious “100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026” list.
The pair are the only cricketers featured in this year’s edition, joining a distinguished group of global sporting icons that includes Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, LeBron James, Carlos Alcaraz, Rory McIlroy, Victor Wembanyama, Hilary Knight, Armand “Mondo” Duplantis, and Jannik Sinner.
Both Mandhana and Bavuma were selected in the publication’s “Titans” category, highlighting their impact on and off the field.
Mandhana’s Influence Continues to Grow
TIME praised Smriti Mandhana for her extraordinary achievements and her role in elevating women’s cricket globally.
The Indian opener has consistently rewritten record books throughout her career. She became the first Indian woman to score a double century in a domestic one-day match and the first Indian woman to register centuries in all three international formats. She also shares the record for the most international centuries in women’s cricket, with 17 hundreds.
More Read
Among her many achievements, Mandhana became the first female cricketer to score more than 1,000 ODI runs in a single calendar year. Her consistency across formats has established her as one of the leading figures in world cricket.
TIME also highlighted her leadership success with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, whom she captained to Women’s Premier League titles in 2024 and 2026. In addition, she played a key role in India’s ICC Women’s World Cup triumph in 2025, finishing among the tournament’s leading run-scorers.
Her influence has continued into 2026. Currently representing India at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England, Mandhana recently produced a match-winning innings of 68 against Pakistan to help her side begin the tournament strongly.
More Read
Bavuma’s Historic Leadership Recognized
For Temba Bavuma, the recognition reflects not only his cricketing achievements but also his broader significance in South African sport.
Bavuma made history in 2016 when he became the first Black South African cricketer to score a Test century for his country. Five years later, he broke another barrier by becoming South Africa’s first Black full-time captain.
His leadership reached new heights during the 2023–25 World Test Championship cycle. Under Bavuma’s captaincy, South Africa completed an unbeaten campaign and defeated Australia in the final to secure the nation’s first major ICC title since 1998.
One of the defining moments of that triumph came in the final, where Bavuma battled through a hamstring injury to score a crucial 66 runs, helping South Africa claim a historic victory.
TIME noted that Bavuma’s journey has carried significance far beyond cricket, with his success inspiring future generations and representing progress within South African sport.
Cricket’s Representatives on a Global Stage
The inclusion of Mandhana and Bavuma underlines the growing influence of cricket within the global sporting landscape.
More Read
While athletes from football, basketball, athletics, tennis, and golf dominate the annual list, the recognition of two cricketers highlights the impact both players have had through performance, leadership, and representation.
For Mandhana, it is further recognition of her status as one of the faces of women’s cricket. For Bavuma, it celebrates a career that has combined sporting excellence with historic significance.
As both continue their journeys on the international stage, their place among TIME’s most influential sporting figures serves as a testament to the lasting impact they have made on the game and beyond.
