'We Won ODI World Cup But...': Smriti Mandhana Hopes WPL Will Help India Become World's Best Team

Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Smriti Mandhana stated on Thursday that the Indian women’s cricket team aspires to be the best across all formats, with the Women’s Premier League (WPL) playing a crucial role in their mission, following their maiden ODI World Cup victory.

Mandhana’s RCB is set to face defending champions Mumbai Indians, led by India captain Harmanpreet Kaur, in the WPL opener at the DY Patil Stadium on Friday. This is the same venue where the national team made history by winning its first global title last November.

“Winning the T20 World Cup would be great,” Mandhana said during a pre-match press conference with Harmanpreet, when asked about changes they wish to see in Indian cricket. She acknowledged the ODI World Cup win

but emphasized the need for further improvement to become the best team in the world. “We still have a lot of things to improve on and I am sure WPL is going to bridge that gap for us,” she added.

Mandhana reiterated that the Indian team aims to dominate across formats, with the WPL supporting this ambition. “Whenever we play for India, we always discuss how we want to be the best team in the world, not just for one or two tournaments, but throughout the year. Every WPL season brings us closer to that goal,” she said.

Harmanpreet expressed her satisfaction with the team’s ambition for bigger goals. “We are not satisfied with just one World Cup. We have so much cricket coming up, and every time we go to the field, we want to have the best, winning mindset,” she said. Harmanpreet highlighted how the WPL has influenced the team’s approach, with new players also aspiring to be champions consistently. “Players are not in their comfort zone now. They are working really hard, and the gap we used to feel when they were coming for international cricket is no longer there,” she added.

With the Women’s T20 World Cup scheduled for June-July in England, Mandhana noted that a successful WPL season could lead to selection in the Indian squad. “If there is an exciting talent and someone has an extraordinary season, I am sure there will be a place in the T20 World Cup as well,” she said. Mandhana also mentioned that the selection would depend on team requirements and the player’s fit.

Mandhana revealed that RCB was aware before the auction that Australian legend Ellyse Perry would not be available for this WPL season. “We knew she wanted a break, so our auction strategy accounted for that,” she said. While acknowledging Perry’s irreplaceable status, Mandhana expressed confidence in the young team’s potential. “We have a very young team, and there is a lot of buzz and camaraderie among the group,” she added.

Reflecting on their historic win at the DY Patil Stadium, Mandhana said the Indian players would always remember the spot where Harmanpreet took the winning catch. “We remember exactly where the last catch was taken and all the moments that followed. Even after 20 years, we will recall what happened at this ground,” she said.

Mandhana quipped that if Harmanpreet tries to get covers there during the match, she would tell her team, “don’t hit there.”

With PTI Inputs