India women’s vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has underlined the team’s ambition to remain consistently at the top and establish long-term dominance in world cricket. After securing their maiden 50-over World Cup title, the Women in Blue are now aiming to lift the T20 World Cup later this year. Their recent T20 series victory against Australia, their first in ten years against the strong rivals, has further strengthened belief within the squad.
Speaking about the team’s mindset, Smriti Mandhana said, “This Indian team is something which we have spoken about is trying to be consistent. Don’t think about opposition or what’s happened in the past. So we’ve beaten this, we’ve beaten that. I feel that’s not very important now,” Mandhana said on BCCI.tv.
She emphasised that past achievements are not the focus anymore, adding, “I think we are on the verge of a transition where we want to dominate world cricket. And whoever we beat, wherever we beat, that doesn’t matter. We just want to be consistent in beating them and being at the top,” she added.
Strong Performance In Australia Boosts Confidence
India’s recent triumph in Australia showcased their growing maturity in the T20 format. In the decisive third T20, Mandhana anchored the innings with a crucial 82, while Jemimah Rodrigues contributed 59. Their 121-run partnership laid the foundation for India’s competitive total of 176 for 6. The bowlers then executed their plans effectively, restricting Australia to 159 for 9 and sealing the series.
Reflecting on her experience in Adelaide, Mandhana shared her fondness for the city, stating, “I mean, I really loved Adelaide as a city, even before playing here. And yeah, it’s just very peaceful, nice. I mean, a few Aussies will be very happy when I say that it’s the best city in Australia, and actually, I find it the best city in Australia.” The win not only ended a decade-long wait for a series victory in Australia but also demonstrated India’s improved balance in both batting and bowling departments.
Focus Shifts To T20 World Cup Preparation
With the Women’s T20 World Cup scheduled in England and Wales from June 12 to July 5, the team has begun refining its strategies. Mandhana acknowledged that while the ODI squad appears settled after last year’s focus on the 50-over format, work remains to be done in T20 cricket.
“This year is a T20 year. Last year was a one-day year where we played a lot of one-day cricket. So coming into this year, for sure, I feel like we are a well-settled ODI squad, but we are still working on our T20 game and also what’s our best XI and what’s our best 15 in terms of T20s. For sure, WPL has played a huge role for us to get better at T20s,” she added.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
