India's women's cricket vice-captain, Smriti Mandhana, has issued a clear message to her team and fans: basking in the glory of past achievements will not secure future victories. As the squad gears up for next year's ICC Women's T20 World Cup, Mandhana emphasized the need for continuous improvement and a forward-looking mindset.
A Milestone Innings and a Forward-Looking Mindset
The star batter returned to form in spectacular fashion during the fourth T20I against Sri Lanka in Trivandrum. After modest performances in the first three matches, Mandhana played a fluent knock of 80 runs off just 48 balls. This innings was historic, as it propelled her past the milestone of 10,000 international runs.
This achievement made her the fastest woman cricketer in history to reach the 10,000-run mark and only the fourth overall, joining an elite club featuring legends Charlotte Edwards, Mithali Raj, and Suzie Bates. Despite the personal accolade, Mandhana's focus remained firmly on the team's journey.
"In cricket, you have to start from zero. The scoreboard is always zero for zero," Mandhana stated in a video shared by the BCCI. "It's never what you've done in the last match or previous series. Internal expectations for me in all three formats are very different."
Work in Progress: Building for the T20 World Cup
Mandhana described the current Indian team as a work in progress and cautioned against excessive focus on their recent runner-up finish in the ODI World Cup. She believes that dwelling on that success could hinder preparations for the next global tournament.
"The One Day World Cup was the biggest thing for women's cricket. And we did take off on that one. So it's a big, big win. But again, you can't be thinking about only successes," she explained. "We've had times when we could have won matches, but we couldn't this year. And again, this team being this young, we are always a work in progress."
When asked to critically review the team's year, Mandhana gave it a rating of 7 out of 10, highlighting significant room for growth. "There's going to be a World Cup, but it's a work in progress. If you keep thinking about the World Cup, the next one won't come... We have many areas to improve as a team," she added.
Key Areas for Improvement and Fan Support
The left-handed opener outlined specific domains where the team is concentrating its efforts. "We keep talking about it in terms of where we want to see ourselves fitness-wise, feeling-wise, and running-wise. And then, of course, power hitting now with T20s. So yeah, execution of bowling plans as well," Mandhana detailed.
She also took a moment to express profound gratitude to the fans for their unwavering support, which has been a hallmark of the team's journey. "All the fans who've supported us throughout the year, especially during the ODI World Cup and after—the kind of support we've got has been fantastic. It's just been a fantastic year for women's cricket," Mandhana said.
Concluding on a hopeful note, she added, "I hope we just keep making them proud, and I hope they keep turning up and support us." With a blend of humility, ambition, and a clear-eyed assessment of the path ahead, Smriti Mandhana and the Indian women's cricket team are firmly setting their sights on the future, leaving past laurels behind to build a new legacy.
