Smriti Mandhana opened up on the India-Pakistan rivalry and said that a lot of “emotion attached” to it.
Speaking to Star Sports, Mandhana said that it is due to the emotions of the fans, which make it an intense clash.
“I think the India-Pakistan rivalry is more about the emotions of the fans than anything else. It’s not like the players don’t talk to each other; it’s the emotions from both nations that make it so intense. For me, every World Cup match is special, and we put the same amount of effort into each game. But there’s definitely a lot of emotion attached to the India-Pakistan games,” Mandhana was quoted in a release from Star Sports as saying.
When asked about rivalry against Australia, she added that the Women in Blue cannot afford to make a mistake against the Aussies.
Smriti Mandhana, India’s vice-captain, has emphasised the immense challenge of facing Australia in the Women’s T20 World Cup.
She stated that there are no shortcuts to defeating the six-time world champions and every team must bring their A-game to compete against them.
Australia’s dominance in the tournament is undeniable, having won the last three editions.
Even with the departure of former captain Meg Lanning, Alyssa Healy has seamlessly stepped into the role and continues to lead the team with great success.
“Every game in the World Cup is important, and you have to give your 100 per cent in each one. New Zealand and Sri Lanka are strong teams, but with Australia, you know you can’t afford to make mistakes,” said Mandhana as India gear up to take on New Zealand in a Group A match in Dubai on Friday.
In the last edition of the T20 World Cup in 2022, India again came close to making history, storming into the semi-finals. However, Australia proved to be a stumbling block once again in the final four.
Last year, Australia defeated South Africa at home by 19 runs to win their sixth title. Meanwhile, India made it to the semifinals, losing to the Aussies by five runs.
Catch all the action from ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, Bangladesh v Scotland, 3:30 PM onwards on 3 October, 2024, LIVE & Exclusive on the Star Sports Network & Disney+ Hotstar
