Smriti Mandhana reflects on cricket, World Cup glory, mentors, and her lifelong motivation
NEW DELHI
India’s star opener Smriti Mandhana says more than a decade of international cricket has only strengthened one belief — that nothing in her life compares to the love she holds for the game. Mandhana looked back on her 12-year journey from her debut in 2013 to becoming a central figure in India’s recent World Cup triumph.
“I don’t think I love anything more than cricket. Wearing the Indian jersey is what drives us. You keep every problem aside because that one feeling brings complete focus,” she said. Mandhana added that her childhood obsession with batting shaped her career. “The madness for batting was always there. No one understood it, but deep down, I always wanted to be called a world champion.”
The 2025 World Cup victory, she said, felt like the reward for years of collective effort and heartbreak. “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 that moment before the final. Seeing it come alive gave us goosebumps,” the Indian vice-captain said.
What made the triumph even more emotional was the presence of legends Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami in the stands. “We really wanted to do it for them. Seeing tears in their eyes felt like women’s cricket itself was winning. It was a battle won for all of them,” she said.
Mandhana said the campaign reinforced lessons she holds close: starting every innings from zero and playing selflessly. “Don’t play for yourself — that’s what we kept reminding each other.”
The appearance marked her first public event since confirming that her wedding plans with musician Palash Mucchal had been called off, though she chose not to comment on her personal life.
