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Smriti Mandhana has been a stalwart in India’s women’s cricket team since her debut in 2013, now assuming a senior role within the squad while consistently amassing runs. Her recent performances against South Africa exemplified her prowess, contributing significantly to India’s clean sweep of the series at home. The team triumphed 3-0 in the ODIs, claimed victory in the one-off Test match, and drew the T20I series over three matches.
Mandhana’s batting exploits were remarkable: she topped the charts in the ODI series with 343 runs across three matches, averaging an impressive 114.33. She also secured the second-highest run tally in the T20Is and notably scored 149 runs in the first innings of the Chennai Test match.
Looking ahead to India’s Asia Cup 2024 campaign opener against Pakistan, Mandhana shared insights into her batting mindset, particularly when chasing targets. She also highlighted the challenges of setting a competitive total in T20 cricket, suggesting a preference for batting second.
Her contributions and leadership in the team continue to underscore her importance as India prepares for the upcoming challenges on the international stage.
My Mindset Is To Play According To The Merit Of The Ball: Smriti Mandhana
“My mindset is just to play according to the merits of the ball. Sometimes you bat first or you bat second. Definitely, when you bat second, you have that score in front of you, and you can calculate your risks, and you can go for it. In the first innings, I feel in T20, it’s a bit of a disadvantage that you don’t know what you have to get to. But I think not to complicate it too much, just play according to the merits of the ball. It’s very simple, just keep it simple. I feel like that,” Mandhana told Star Sports.
Despite her recent stellar form with the bat, the star Indian batter faces a challenging record against Pakistan in T20I cricket. Across 18 matches, she has accumulated 187 runs at an average of 26.71. Her highest score of 63* was achieved during the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in July 2022. Nonetheless, she will be eager to maintain her current momentum when facing Pakistan.
India boasts an impressive record in the Asia Cup, having clinched the title seven times in the previous eight editions. They are the defending champions, having triumphed over Sri Lanka in the 2022 final. In T20Is against Pakistan, India holds a commanding record, emerging victorious in 11 out of 14 encounters.
Harmanpreet Kaur, who led India to Asia Cup glory in 2022, will continue to captain the team in the 2024 edition. India and Bangladesh remain the only teams to have lifted the Asia Cup, while Pakistan and Sri Lanka, despite being prominent women’s cricket teams in Asia, are yet to secure the tournament.
As the tournament approaches, Harmanpreet Kaur is focused on fostering a supportive and encouraging atmosphere within the team, aiming to prepare effectively for the upcoming challenges.
“I feel like there should be such an atmosphere in the team that everyone enjoys each other’s company, and can share their feelings with each other. And when the atmosphere is like that, the team’s performance becomes good as well. So that is my motive as a leader, that all of us feel comfortable with each other.
