Smriti Mandhana Remains Grounded Amid 2025 World Cup Excitement: 'Not Thinking...'
Smriti Mandhana, with 9,000+ international runs, is focusing on the process for the 2025 ICC Women's World Cup. She emphasizes calmness and launched City Cricket Academy in Dubai.
As the excitement surrounding the 2025 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup grows, India's batting star Smriti Mandhana remains grounded. With over 9,000 international runs and a decade-long career marked by calmness and consistency, Mandhana is approaching this period with humility rather than hype.
During a conversation with cricket historian Sunil Yash Kalra on the Cricket Predicta Show, Mandhana emphasized her philosophy of staying focused on the present. She expressed, 'I've always been a big believer in not thinking too far ahead. We have to focus on the process, do every day right—and that's the aim."
Mandhana, who is set to play a crucial role in India's World Cup campaign, believes collective calmness, rather than anticipation, is key. She noted, 'Even as a team, everyone's calm. We've got a long road ahead over the next five to six months. I wouldn't like to speak a lot about it. Cricket is such a game—you do your things right, things fall in place. Let's just try and do that well."
While prioritising India's World Cup preparations, Mandhana is also quietly planning for the future of the sport. She recently launched the City Cricket Academy by Smriti Mandhana in Dubai, an initiative inspired by her long-standing relationship with UK-based coach Don Bhagawati, who will lead the academy's training programs.
Statistically, Mandhana is a towering figure in modern cricket. In Tests, she averages 57.18 across 12 innings with two centuries. Her ODI record boasts 4,501 runs at 46.4, and her T20I statistics include 3,982 runs with a strike rate close to 124. Her 1,000+ boundaries across formats reflect her elegance and authority at the crease.
(With IANS Inputs)
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