Former Mumbai Indians (MI) wicketkeeper-batter Aditya Tare criticised Smriti Mandhana for her shot selection during India's agonising four-run defeat to
England in match No. 20 of the ongoing Women's World Cup 2025.
At the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore, Mandhana was leading her side towards the 289-run target with a brilliant innings. However, when the Women in Blue were placed at 234/3 in the 42nd over and cruising towards the target, Mandhana tried to loft Linsey Smith over extra cover but she only managed to miscue it to long-off. The southpaw was dismissed for 88 off 94 balls, belting eight fours. Her dismissal came as a sliver of hope for England. Nat Sciver-Brunt and Co. held their nerves in the back-end of the innings and restricted India to 284/6 in 50 overs.
Tare opined that there was no need for Mandhana to go for the big shot as India were in firm control of the match. Apart from Mandhana, he also slammed Deepti Sharma's shot selection, who tried to clear the fielder at deep mid-wicket off Sophie Ecclestone's bowling but failed.
"Teams win when set batters finish the game. I felt Smriti's dismissal was against the run of play. The momentum was entirely with India. The equation was a run-a-ball at this stage. There was no need to play that shot against the spin over extra cover. Smriti was also batting well. She was set," Tare responded after being asked about Mandhana's dismissal, on Star Sports.
"In my opinion, as Reema (Malhotra) also said, there were mistakes in shot selection under pressure, both from Smriti and Deepti. If you are playing against good teams, you know in which moments you need to take a risk. How calm you can remain under pressure determines the result," Tare observed.
You need to play the entire 100 overs well to seal the match: Tare
Tare feels that India would have won the game had they played the entire 100 overs well. She said that the aerial shots attempted by Deepti and Mandhana were too risky, something that the situation did not demand.
"You need to play the entire 100 overs well to seal the match. To a large extent, India were playing well, but we have lost all three matches due to a lack of temperament or experience at crucial stages. In today's match, the aerial shots Deepti Sharma and Smriti Mandhana played were very risky, especially Smriti, as the equation was a run-a-ball and a big shot was not required there," he said.
Tare also mentioned that Mandhana should have looked to take the game deeper. The cricketer-turned-expert feels that the Indian vice-captain played a tired shot to throw her wicket away.
"Smriti could have taken the game deeper. I felt it was a very tired shot. That shot lacked energy. If she wanted to hit, she could have stepped out and hit a six. She played from her position and didn't time it. Smriti Mandhana will herself be extremely disappointed because she knew that she should have probably taken it deeper," Tare elaborated.
