India’s semi-final hopes come down to one game against Australia, and opener Smriti Mandhana has said the side intends to attack. Harmanpreet Kaur’s team won their first two matches against Pakistan and the Netherlands, lost to South Africa, and then kept their chances alive by beating Bangladesh by five wickets.
Intent With the Bat
Speaking to the media on the eve of the match, Mandhana called it a huge game and said the group had talked at length about playing an aggressive brand of cricket. She admitted the batters had not delivered that approach as consistently as they wanted, but said the whole unit was excited about the chance to put it right.
She also paired up with Shafali Verma at the top of the order and was upbeat about it. After a quiet series in England, she said, both were keen to give India quick starts, and she was pleased with how Shafali was hitting the ball.
A Narrowing Gap
Mandhana argued that India and Australia are much closer than they used to be. She pointed to recent T20 results against Australia as a source of confidence, and credited the Women’s Premier League for making Indian players more at ease under pressure. Overseas experience, such as time in the Women’s Big Bash League, has helped too. In her view the gap has shrunk considerably over the last four or five years.
Advice From the Greats
The left-hander also spoke about learning from Kumar Sangakkara and Matthew Hayden, both of whom she has long admired. She said she watched their batting videos even in difficult spells, and that when she met Hayden during commentary he was generous in discussing her grip and other technical points. She hopes to put that advice to use.
