Do you know that when the Indian women’s cricket team played their first World Cup final against Australia at Centurion in 2005, current Indian opener Smriti Mandhana was a 9-year-old kid?

Since then, she had dreamt of being at the same stage someday and in a fairytale journey, her dream came true 12 years later. Smriti Mandhana seemed to have a good start in the ICC Women’s World Cup. She found herself opening the innings for the side in the tournament.

Mandhana opened her account in the World Cup with a bang as she played a brilliant 90 run knock in the very first match against hosts England. However, it did not take her long to bring up her maiden World Cup hundred as she did so in the very next match against the West Indies.

Though team India failed to lift the World Cup by losing the finals, Smriti termed her first World Cup campaign as ‘Good’. She was born in Sangli, Maharashtra and had an experience of a lifetime. It is surely just the beginning for the promising talent.

On Playing At Lords:

“The journey was good, of course. As a kid, you always dream to play at Lord’s. Unfortunately, we missed playing at Lord’s in 2014 as the match was washed out. But I remember Jhulu didi (Jhulan Goswami) telling me and Shikha (Pandey) that ‘don’t worry the 2017 World Cup final is at the same ground and if we do well, we will be there’. I think that really happened. It was a dream come true playing before the packed stadium in Lord’s,” Mandhana told reporters.

Will You Play County Cricket?

“If BCCI allows, then. I think the schedule is very busy for us right now and it is really tough to take time out of this schedule and go play county cricket. But if I get an opportunity and I have a free time, I will definitely like to go and play in those conditions,” said Smriti.

What Actually Happened After First Two Matches?

“Had I known (what was going wrong), I would have performed better. After first two games, I played the next two games (against Pakistan and Sri Lanka) with the same confidence. I am disappointed with my shot selection. Barring the final, I don’t think the bowler got me out. I felt I have gifted my wicket. So more than technique, I need to work on my shot selection, I need to decide which ball to be hit, I was going for every shot. That’s the takeaway from the last seven innings where I didn’t do well. Hopefully, I will be a better player next time,” said Mandhana.

“My preparations have been the same for the last nine matches. I did not change my preparation at all. Be it my gym sessions or batting sessions. Even I was thinking what had really happened after those two knocks. So, that was something which was haunting me. Generally, when I am out of shape of batting, I perform well. This time when I was in the good shape of batting, I was not performing. It was pathetic shot selection I would say. I really played some rash shots which got me out. Except for the last match, bowler did not take my wicket, I gifted my wicket. So, next time I will make sure I have a good shot selection,” she added.

What’s Your Qualification?

This question to Smriti brought a good sense of humor out.

“I am in the first year (of college) for the last three years,” said Smriti. With a bit of laughter, she added, “I have not failed, but I am not giving exams.”

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What Are Your Future Plans?

She pointed out that she is looking forward to regaining 100% fitness and will focus on not repeating the same mistakes. “Get back to 100 per cent fitness after the injury and make sure I don’t repeat those mistakes. And I do well in the first two matches then continue the same form in the next games and be a better player.” she signed off.