Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana has signed a long-term partnership with performance sportswear brand ONE8, reinforcing the company’s strategic push into women’s high-performance apparel and athlete-led product development.
The agreement, led by sportswear platform Agilitas, positions Mandhana as both brand ambassador and product collaborator, underlining the growing role of elite athletes in shaping innovation across performance categories. The partnership will see Mandhana work closely with design, product and research teams to develop apparel tailored specifically to the technical requirements of women athletes, particularly in cricket and high-intensity training environments.
The collaboration reflects ONE8’s ambition to establish itself as a premium performance-focused sportswear brand originating from India, while strengthening its credibility in the fast-growing women’s sports segment.
Abhishek Ganguly, Co-Founder and CEO, Agilitas, said, “Smriti coming on board marks a defining moment for us. This is not a conventional endorsement; it is a true co-creation partnership, where her insights as an elite athlete will directly shape how we design, innovate, and build our women’s performance category. She has already been working closely with our product and R&D teams, and that depth of involvement is critical to what we are creating.
“Smriti embodies both excellence and intent, and her alignment with the ethos of One8 makes her a natural partner as we build India’s first high-performance sportswear brand. This is a long-term play, and we are excited about the meaningful impact we can create together.”
Smriti Mandhana, Brand Ambassador, ONE8, added, “When the mission speaks to you, you show up fully. Agilitas did exactly that for me. I am joining ONE8 with everything I have got – my experience, my passion, and my commitment to building something meaningful for women in cricket and training.”
The partnership brings Mandhana into the ONE8 ecosystem alongside Virat Kohli, whose personal brand forms the foundation of the sportswear label. Both athletes, known for wearing the number 18, reinforce the brand’s performance-led positioning and global sporting credibility.
Widely regarded as one of the leading batters in women’s cricket, Mandhana has built a strong commercial portfolio spanning categories such as personal care, nutrition, apparel and lifestyle, with partnerships including Pee Safe, Herbalife India, Naturals Salon, Sanspareil Greenlands and Wrangler.
The agreement also reflects broader commercial momentum in women’s sport, as brands increasingly prioritise product innovation informed by athlete expertise rather than traditional endorsement models alone.
ONE8, operated by Agilitas following the restructuring of Kohli’s previous long-term association with Puma, is positioning itself as a vertically integrated sportswear platform targeting growth across footwear, apparel and training categories in India and international markets.
Mandhana’s addition strengthens the brand’s credibility in cricket and performance training segments while signalling increasing commercial confidence in the long-term growth potential of women’s sport.
