Smriti Mandhana Reflects on India's Evolving Cricket Mindset Ahead of Women's World Cup 2025
A New Era in Indian Women's Cricket
As India prepares to host the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 in just 50 days, opener Smriti Mandhana shared insights into the evolving mentality within Indian cricket over recent years.
Mandhana expressed, “The mindset has shifted significantly in the last couple of years. There’s a sense of calm that I want to bring to the field. Our entire team is aligned in this direction. We understand where we need to focus our efforts, and when we step onto the field, we are ready to execute our plans,” as reported on the ICC website.
Recently, the Indian Women’s Team achieved notable victories against England, winning both the T20 and ODI series, with scores of 2-1 in T20s and 3-2 in ODIs.
She emphasized the importance of living in the moment rather than fixating on specific goals. “Whenever we perform well on the field, everything else falls into place. Our preparations have been thorough, including a training camp and a tour of England. We have one more tour before the World Cup, and that’s our sole focus,” Mandhana stated.
Having participated in her first Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2017, Mandhana reminisced about her experience, where she accumulated 232 runs, including a century against the West Indies. “We all cherish that World Cup experience. It’s not just about my century; we remember each other’s contributions. Witnessing Harmanpreet Kaur’s 171 was unforgettable. The unity we had during that tournament was remarkable,” she reflected.
Mandhana also noted the warm reception the team received from fans post-World Cup, highlighting the significant shift in public perception.
India aims to surpass their previous performance in 2017, where they reached the Women’s Cricket World Cup Final but narrowly lost to England in a dramatic finish at Lord’s.
The Women’s World Cup is set to commence on September 30, with India facing Sri Lanka in the tournament's opening match in Bengaluru.