Ahead of International Women’s Day, Barbie is doing something pretty fun: turning a group of global trailblazers into actual Barbie dolls. The brand has launched its first-ever Barbie Dream Team. It’s a lineup of women who’ve made serious waves in their fields. And representing India is cricket star Smriti Mandhana.
If you follow women’s cricket, Mandhana hardly needs an introduction. She’s the first Indian woman cricketer to score centuries across all three international formats — Test, ODI and T20. She has also played a huge role in bringing women’s cricket into the spotlight in recent years. Now she’s also officially part of Barbie history.
Her one-of-a-kind Barbie doll captures her signature cricketing look and celebrates the impact she’s had on the sport. Though the doll isn’t actually heading to toy store shelves anytime soon. It was created purely as a tribute to her journey and influence. “This is incredibly special to me,” Mandhana said when the honour was announced. “Growing up, cricket was never the first choice for an Indian girl. I never imagined there would be a Barbie made to look like me.”
And honestly, in a country where cricket is practically a national language, the moment feels pretty symbolic. Women’s cricket in India has seen a huge surge in visibility in recent years. From packed stadiums to record-breaking viewership, and Mandhana has been right at the centre of that shift.
She’s also in stellar company. Barbie’s Dream Team includes women who’ve broken barriers across sport, science and music, including tennis legend Serena Williams, research astronaut Kellie Gerardi, footballer Chloe Kelly, surfer Stephanie Gilmore, pop star Helene Fischer, race car driver Regina Sirvent Alvarado and mountaineer Zoja Skubis.
The idea behind the Dream Team is simple: spotlight women doing incredible things across industries. From sports arenas to space missions. And there’s something undeniably cool about seeing a cricket icon turned into a Barbie.
Images courtesy: Mattel/ Barbie