India Women's T20 World Cup Prep: England Series Key, Says Mandhana

Smriti Mandhana highlights the importance of the upcoming T20I series against England as crucial preparation for the T20 World Cup next year.

With the Women's T20 World Cup in England just a year away, the Indian team is set to fine-tune their strategies and acclimatize to the conditions with a five-match T20I series against England, commencing on June 28th. Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana expressed her enthusiasm for the series, emphasizing the valuable opportunity it presents for the team to familiarize themselves with the English conditions.

Mandhana spoke in Harmanpreet Kaur's absence due to illness © Getty

"Considering the T20 World Cup is scheduled around the same time next year, during the UK summer which offers similar conditions, these five T20s will serve as excellent preparation for many of the girls. It allows us to assess the conditions and how they complement our respective game styles. Moreover, five T20s provide a substantial amount of cricket exposure in the same environment just a year before the World Cup," she stated.

Mandhana also addressed the absence of regular captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who was unwell on the day of the pre-match press conference. She clarified that Harmanpreet's absence was temporary and that she was expected to participate in the match. "I don't think she's not playing, she's just unwell for today, so I'm just here filling up for today," she confirmed.

The Indian team has undergone nearly a month of rigorous preparation for the England tour, encompassing both the T20I and subsequent three-match ODI series. Recognizing that several players, including Kranti Gaud and Sree Charani, are touring England for the first time, the team arrived a week early to fine-tune their strategies and adapt to the unfamiliar environment. Mandhana expressed satisfaction with the team's preparation, deeming it ideal in the lead-up to the series.

"We've had a productive 25 days of preparation, including specialized batting and bowling camps at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore, specifically tailored for this tour," Mandhana elaborated. "We arrived here a little earlier, allowing for eight days of preparation and a few good practice matches. This has been crucial in understanding the English conditions, especially for the girls on their first England tour. It was important for them to arrive early and acclimatize," she added.

Mandhana acknowledged the dynamic nature of the T20 format, emphasizing the constant need for batters to adapt and improve.

"I believe that in the T20 game, there's always room for improvement, not just for me but for most batters. It's a format where you have to continuously improvise and evolve because opposition teams are constantly analyzing your batting style and devising strategies against you," she observed.

Despite the emphasis on strategic planning, Mandhana maintained a grounded perspective, reiterating the importance of focusing on each ball as it comes. "Of course, there are numerous game plans and goals for me as an individual coming into this series, but cricket is ultimately about taking it one ball at a time, and that's how I'll approach it," she concluded.

India's pace bowling attack will be spearheaded by Arundathi Reddy, with Renuka Singh Thakur, Pooja Vastrakar, and Titas Sadhu sidelined due to injuries. Amanjot Kaur, Gaud, and Sayali Satghare will share the pace bowling duties alongside Reddy. Mandhana expressed her excitement about witnessing the young pace bowlers showcase their domestic experience in the T20s against England.

"[We have] ...A new look pace-bowling unit because unfortunately, there are a few injuries which had happened over the last four to five months, but really exciting, I mean [the] WPL has been good in terms of finding new people and of course, the domestic system as well."

"[With] The amount of matches the girls play nowadays, so all these girls have a rich experience in the domestic format, so I'm really excited to see them. Young talent whenever they come in, it's always very exciting, everyone's been prepping up well, trying to do everything right and what better place than England to come to as a pacer," she concluded.