Blurb
Smriti Mandhana praised India’s resilience after a narrow T20I loss to South Africa, viewing the match as vital preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
DURBAN
India’s vice-captain Smriti Mandhana remains optimistic despite a heartbreaking six-wicket loss to South Africa in the first T20I. While the defeat gives the hosts a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, Mandhana praised her team’s fighting spirit for dragging the game into a tense final over at Kingsmead.
India’s innings started with a bang thanks to Shafali Verma’s aggressive batting. However, the momentum stalled mid-innings, and the team failed to post a dominant total. Mandhana admitted that the batting unit struggled to capitalize on their strong start, leaving them slightly short of a winning score. Despite this, she found great pride in how the bowlers responded after a shaky start to the second half.
“We came back really well,” Mandhana noted, emphasizing that the players showed immense character to keep the contest alive until the very end. The match served as a vital wake-up call for the squad, who are returning to international action after a month-long break following their series against Australia. With the T20 World Cup beginning this June in England, these matches are crucial for finding the right rhythm.
On a personal level, Mandhana was disappointed with her low score but felt energized to improve. She mentioned that the team is already looking forward to the next game. With extra practice sessions under their belts and a hunger for redemption, the Indian side is determined to level the series and come back much stronger.
