Mandhana realised over 12 years with India that cricket is the one thing she loves above all
The India batter revealed her lifelong ambition was to become a world champion
This marked her first public event since ending her engagement to musician Palash Muchhal
Twelve years after first wearing India colours, Smriti Mandhana says she has realised one unshakeable truth: that there is nothing in the world she loves more than cricket.
India’s greatest left-handed women’s batter spoke candidly about her journey from her 2013 debut to playing a central role in India’s recent World Cup triumph, calling the achievement the culmination of more than a decade of collective struggle.
Speaking at the Amazon Smbhav Summit on Wednesday, Mandhana said the Indian jersey remains her deepest motivation. “I don’t think I love anything more than cricket,” she said. “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.”
‘Always Wanted To Be Called World Champion’: Mandhana
Mandhana said her ambition has been clear since childhood. “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.”
She described India’s World Cup victory as a long-awaited reward. “This World Cup was the reward for the battle we fought over the years. We were waiting for it so badly,” she said.
“I’ve been playing for more than 12 years – many times things didn’t go our way. We visualised it before the final, and when we finally saw it on the screen, it gave us goosebumps,” she added. “It was an incredible, special moment.”
The presence of legends Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami at the final added emotional weight. “We really wanted to do it for them, badly. 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 also shared the two lessons she believes the World Cup reinforced for the team. “You always start an innings at zero, no matter if you scored a hundred before,” she said. “And don’t play for yourself – that’s what we kept reminding each other.”
Her appearance at the summit was also notable for another reason, as it marked her first public event since calling off her marriage to musician Palash Muchhal.
(With PTI Inputs)
