Mandhana: ‘Shafali and I have a huge role to play’ at the T20 World Cup
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Reflecting on the England Series
As the Indian women’s cricket team gears up for the upcoming T20 World Cup, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has been candid about the challenges faced during the recent T20I series against England. Despite a hard-fought effort, India succumbed to a 2-1 series defeat, highlighting areas that require immediate attention before the global tournament commences. Mandhana, ever the professional, has identified the opening partnership as a critical component of the team’s success.
The Opening Partnership Focus
Mandhana acknowledged that she and her opening partner, Shafali Verma, struggled to provide the explosive starts that have become their trademark. With opening stands of 19, 27, and 0 throughout the series, the pair is keenly aware of the need for improvement. Mandhana stated clearly, Mandhana: ‘Shafali and I have a huge role to play’ at the T20 World Cup, noting that while they are timing the ball well in practice, the transition to big match contributions remains a work in progress.
“For me and Shifu, we are definitely timing the ball well but unfortunately we are not able to contribute in big ways for the team,” Mandhana remarked. She remains optimistic, confirming that the duo will return to the nets to refine their approach. The goal is to regain the momentum that makes India a formidable side in the powerplay overs.
Positives Amidst Defeat
While the opening results were not ideal, the series offered several encouraging takeaways. Yastika Bhatia’s return from injury was a standout success, as she finished the series as the top run-scorer with 119 runs, including a well-compiled half-century. Furthermore, captain Harmanpreet Kaur provided a masterclass in the final match, scoring an unbeaten 56 off 40 balls to push India to a competitive total of 180.
Mandhana was full of praise for her skipper: “Harman, when she is at her best, it is a sight to watch. Today, she played all over the ground; it was a really important innings under pressure.” This individual brilliance, coupled with the consistent form of players like Jemimah Rodrigues, provides a stable foundation for the team heading into the World Cup.
Learning from Tactical Lapses
The series finale saw India defend 180, only for a resilient 137-run partnership between England’s Alice Capsey and Heather Knight to snatch victory. Mandhana remains objective about the tactical errors, noting, “In hindsight, we would have been able to build pressure with a few dot balls, but we were not able to do that.”
The team is now heading back to the drawing board to analyze bowling options and death-over strategies. Having experienced these conditions first-hand, the squad is better equipped to make informed adjustments. As Mandhana noted, “We’ll go back to the drawing board, see which options can be better. We did that before this series, maybe we can go back again and now we know these conditions, what balls need to be bowled.”
Looking Ahead to the T20 World Cup
India’s campaign begins on June 14 against Pakistan in Birmingham. Placed in a competitive Group 1 alongside heavyweights like Australia and South Africa, as well as Bangladesh and the Netherlands, the stakes could not be higher. Preparation includes two crucial warm-up matches against the West Indies and England.
The focus on the opening match against Pakistan is high, but Mandhana is looking at the bigger picture. “India-Pakistan doesn’t need hype,” she said, reflecting on the excitement surrounding the rivalry. “I just feel we really need to hype up the T20 World Cup. We don’t need to do it for India vs Pakistan; it’s already hyped up. I am sure a lot of people are going to come and support us. Hopefully, we can put up a show for them.”
With a clear understanding of their roles and a commitment to rigorous preparation, the Indian team remains focused on their ultimate objective: adding the T20 World Cup trophy to their collection after their historic run in the ODI World Cup.
