Smriti Mandhana: “Cricket Is My Greatest Love”
Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, making her first public appearance since calling off her wedding, reaffirmed that nothing matters to her more than cricket. The accomplished left-handed batter stepped out on Wednesday, just days after announcing that both families had mutually decided to cancel her proposed wedding to Palash Muchhal. In a statement shared on December 7, she requested privacy and emphasized her focus on cricket.
Mandhana, who has been named in India’s squad for the upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka, attended the Amazon Smbhav Summit at Bharat Mandapam alongside captain Harmanpreet Kaur. Her brother, Shravan, shared a photograph of her back in training shortly after her announcement, signaling her renewed focus on the sport. On December 9, she was officially named in the 15-member squad for the five-match series starting December 21 in Visakhapatnam.
Reflecting on her journey from her 2013 debut to becoming a key figure in India’s recent World Cup triumph, Mandhana said, “I don’t think I love anything more than cricket. Wearing that Indian jersey is the motivation that drives us. You keep all your problems aside, and that thought alone helps you focus on life.”
She also shared the roots of her passion. “As a kid, the madness for batting was always there. No one understood it, but in my mind, I always wanted to be called a world champion.”
Winning the World Cup, she said, was the culmination of years of hard work and perseverance. “This World Cup was the reward for the battle we fought over the years. We were waiting for it so badly. I have been playing for more than 12 years, and many times things did not go our way. Visualizing it before the final and then finally seeing it happen gave us goosebumps—it was an incredible, special moment.”
The presence of legends Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami at the final made the victory even more emotional. “We really wanted to do it for them. Seeing tears in their eyes made it feel like women’s cricket itself was winning. It was a battle won for all of them,” she said.
Mandhana said the World Cup reinforced two key lessons: “You always start an innings at zero, no matter if you scored a hundred before. And do not play for yourself—that is what we kept reminding each other.”
Focused on cricket above all else, Mandhana’s journey continues to inspire young players, proving that passion, perseverance, and team spirit are the real rewards of the game.
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