Making her first public appearance since confirming the cancellation of her wedding to music composer Palash Muchhal, India’s World Cup-winning vice-captain Smriti Mandhana emphasized her dedication to cricket at the Amazon Sambhav Summit on Wednesday.
The 29-year-old opened up about how representing the country helps her navigate life's challenges, stating, "I don’t think I love anything more than cricket. Wearing that Indian jersey is the motivation that drives us.
You keep all your problems aside, and that thought alone helps you focus on life." She added that despite her private nature, her professional focus remains clear, noting that even as a child, she simply wanted to be known as a world champion.
Reflecting on India’s historic maiden ODI World Cup triumph against South Africa at the DY Patil Stadium last month, Mandhana described the victory as the reward for battles fought over 12 years. She revealed that the team had visualized the win before the final, admitting that seeing it on screen gave them "goosebumps."
The victory held deeper roots due to the presence of veterans Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami in the stands. "We really wanted to do it for them, badly. Seeing tears in their eyes made it feel like women’s cricket itself was winning. It was a battle won for all of them," Mandhana said.
Mandhana also shared her philosophy on handling pressure and maintaining consistency, explaining that she prides herself on the work put in behind the scenes rather than just on-field results.
She noted that regardless of past performances, every innings requires a fresh start. "You always start an innings at zero, no matter if you scored a hundred before. And don’t play for yourself; that’s what we kept reminding each other," she remarked.
The summit appearance followed Mandhana's statement on Sunday confirming that her wedding had been called off. In an Instagram post, she requested privacy for both families to "process and move on," asserting that her focus remains on representing India at the highest level. "I hope to continue to play and win trophies for India for as long as possible," she wrote.