Barbie With A Bat: Smriti Mandhana Gets Her Own Doll Ahead Of Women’s Day

As the world gears up to celebrate International Women’s Day, Indian cricket star Smriti Mandhana has been given a rare honour. She has been named in the first-ever Barbie Dream Team, becoming the first cricketer in the world to have a Barbie doll inspired by her.

A Global Line Up of Icons

The doll has been created by Mattel as part of a global initiative that celebrates women who have made their mark in very different fields. This version of the doll will not appear in toy stores for retail.

Mandhana’s name sits alongside an impressive international line up. The Dream Team includes tennis legend Serena Williams, research astronaut Kellie Gerardi, Mexican race car driver Regina Sirvent Alvarado, England footballer Chloe Kelly, German pop star Helene Fischer, Polish expedition climber Zoja Skubis and Australian surfing champion Stephanie Gilmore.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Barbie (@barbie)

Each of them comes from a completely different world. Yet seeing women like them being celebrated together sends a powerful message to young girls everywhere. Big dreams belong to them too and sometimes all it takes is one inspiring story to help them take the first step.

A Bigger Moment for Women’s Cricket

Mandhana also reflects how far women’s cricket has come in recent years. Cricket has always been one of India’s most loved sports, but women players have often had to fight for equal recognition.

Over the years, Smriti Mandhana has helped change that narrative. Her achievements on the field speak loudly. She is the first Indian woman cricketer to score centuries in all three international formats, Test, ODI and T20.

By placing Mandhana in the Barbie Dream Team, Mattel is also highlighting the growing influence of women in sports. It sends a simple but powerful message: A Barbie doll does not have to exist only in pink glittery outfits. A Barbie can also walk onto a cricket field with a bat in hand.

Smriti Mandhana Making History

During the recent ICC Women's Cricket World Cup campaign, Smriti Mandhana delivered one of the tournament’s most consistent batting performances.

She finished as India Women’s highest run getter in a single edition of the World Cup, scoring 434 runs in nine innings and surpassing the previous record held by Mithali Raj. 

Mandhana also recently created history by becoming the first player in women’s ODIs to cross the 1,000 run mark in a single calendar year.