India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has highlighted the critical responsibility she and opening partner Shafali Verma share in providing strong starts for the team at the upcoming T20 World Cup, following a challenging series against England.
India lost the three-match T20I series 2-1, with the decisive third game ending in a six-wicket defeat on Tuesday. Mandhana and Verma struggled to deliver substantial opening partnerships, recording stands of 19, 27, and 0 across the three matches. Despite this, Mandhana expressed confidence in their ability to contribute significantly moving forward.
“For me and Shifu, we are definitely timing the ball well but unfortunately we are not able to contribute in big ways for the team,” Mandhana said after the match. She emphasized that both players take pride in setting solid foundations and maintaining momentum but acknowledged they fell short in this series. The duo plans to return to the nets to refine their approach ahead of the global tournament.
Mandhana averaged 13.33 in the series, with a highest score of 32, while Verma posted an average of 11.66 but maintained a higher strike rate of 152.17. Their best performance came in the second T20I in Bristol, where Mandhana scored 32 off 25 balls and Verma made 22 off 14 as India chased 169, though a late collapse prevented victory.
Positive takeaways from the tour included the strong return of Yastika Bhatia, who emerged as the leading run-scorer with 119 runs, including a half-century. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur also delivered a crucial unbeaten 56 off 40 balls in the final match, helping India post 180 for 5.
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Mandhana praised Kaur’s innings, noting it was impressive to watch her dominate across the ground under pressure. She expressed optimism about the form of key batters like Jemimah Rodrigues and others, viewing it as a encouraging sign for the World Cup.
On the bowling side, India made an early impact by reducing England to 38 for 3 while defending 180, but a 137-run fourth-wicket partnership between Alice Capsey and Heather Knight secured the win for the hosts. Mandhana suggested the team would review their strategies, particularly in building pressure with dot balls, and adapt based on English conditions.
India will open their T20 World Cup campaign against Pakistan on June 14 in Birmingham. The team is placed in Group 1 alongside Australia, South Africa, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands. They have warm-up matches scheduled against West Indies on June 8 and England on June 10.
Mandhana downplayed the need for extra hype around the India-Pakistan clash, recalling the sold-out crowd during their Commonwealth Games encounter in Birmingham. She stressed the importance of building excitement for the entire T20 World Cup to draw strong support.
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