Twelve years have passed since Smriti Mandhana first wore the Indian uniform, and during that time, she has come to the conclusion that nothing in the world “she loves more” than cricket.
Mandhana, the best left-handed female batter in India, talked about her path from making her debut in 2013 to contributing significantly to her team’s World Cup victory a month ago.
“I don’t think I love anything more than cricket. Wearing that Indian jersey is the motivation that drives us. You keep all your problems aside, and that thought alone helps you focus on life,” Mandhana, reflecting on what drives her, said at the Amazon Sambhav Summit in New Delhi on Wednesday.
She was always clear about what she wanted.
“As a kid, the madness for batting was always there. No one understood it, but in my mind, I always wanted to be called a world champion.”
The trophy, according to Mandhana, felt like the end of the team’s protracted battle.
“This World Cup was the reward for the battle we fought over the years. We were waiting for it so badly. I’ve been playing for more than 12 years — many times things didn’t go our way. We visualised it before the final, and when we finally saw it on the screen, it gave us goosebumps. It was an incredible, special moment,” the Indian vice-captain said.
According to Mandhana, the emotion was heightened by the presence of veterans Jhulan Goswami and Mithali Raj at the final.
“We really wanted to do it for them, badly. Seeing tears in their eyes made it feel like women’s cricket itself was winning. It was a battle won for all of them,” she said.
According to Mandhana, the World Cup reaffirmed two timeless lessons.
“You always start an innings at zero, no matter if you scored a hundred before. And don’t play for yourself – that’s what we kept reminding each other,” she said.
This was Mandhana’s first public appearance following the cancellation of her marriage to singer Palash Mucchal.
