Smriti Mandhana: Indian Team Vice-Captain Smriti Mandhana has become the first cricketer ever to be represented under the Dream Team Initiative by Mattel ahead of this year’s Women’s Day.
The Royal Challengers Bangalore Skipper would be among the elite few who have shattered all barriers across different professions.
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It was clarified by Mattel that the Smriti Mandhana doll would be produced only as an exclusive commemorative piece and would not be available for retail sale.
In a post on Instagram, Barbie’s official account posted that the Dream Team honours women from all parts of the world who have paved the way for future girl generations by attaining ground-breaking firsts in their respective fields.
Smriti Mandhana Joins Exclusive List
Smriti Mandhana joins Serena Williams (US) Tennis legend and entrepreneur, Kellie Gerardi (US) Research astronaut, Regina Sirvent Alvarado (Mexico) Professional race car driver, Chloe Kelly (UK) Footballer, Helene Fischer (Germany) Pop artist, Zoja Skubis (Poland) Expedition climber and Stephanie Gilmore (Australia) Professional surfer.
Humongous Victory For Women’s Cricket
The selection of Smriti Mandhana as one of the 2026 Barbie dolls demonstrates her increasing recognition and personal success over the years, especially in the segment of women’s cricket. The left-hand opener is the first female cricketer from India to have scored hundreds in all three formats of the game – T20, one-day internationals and test cricket. In a post on social media, Smriti wrote cricket has given me everything and she would be really delighted if even a single girl gets inspired by her journey to join the amazing world of cricket.
Nathan Baynard, Vice President and Head of Barbie at Mattel, remarked the Barbie brand has long promoted the message and cause that girls could choose any career path. Nathan added that Barbie has ignited imagination and inspired generations of girls across the world to dream without limits.
