Mandhana Sees England T20Is as Key Preparation for Women's T20 World Cup

With the Women's T20 World Cup just a year away, the Indian team is gearing up for the tournament with a five-match T20I series against England, commencing on June 28th. India's vice-captain, Smriti Mandhana, expressed her enthusiasm for the upcoming series, emphasizing its significance in acclimatizing the team to the English conditions.

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

"Given that the T20 World Cup is scheduled around the same time next year, during the UK summer, the conditions will be similar. This five-match T20 series will be an excellent opportunity for many of our players to get a feel for the environment and adapt their game accordingly," Mandhana stated. "The timing is perfect, allowing us ample preparation a year before the World Cup."

Mandhana also addressed the absence of captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who was feeling 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 matches. "She's just unwell for today, so I'm just here filling up for today," she explained.

The Indian team arrives in England following nearly a month of intensive preparation for the white-ball series, which includes three ODIs following the T20Is. To aid in acclimatization, especially for players like Kranti Gaud and Sree Charani who are touring England for the first time, the team arrived a week early to fine-tune their strategies and preparations. Mandhana believes this extended preparation period is ideal.

"We've had a solid 25 days of preparation, including specialized batting and bowling camps at the NCA in Bangalore, specifically designed with this tour in mind," Mandhana said. "Arriving early allowed us eight days of further preparation, including valuable practice matches. This was particularly important for players on their first England tour, enabling them to adjust to the conditions."

Recognizing the dynamic nature of T20 cricket, Mandhana acknowledged the constant need for batters to evolve and adapt. She emphasized that opposition teams are always devising new strategies, necessitating continuous improvement.

"In T20 cricket, I believe there's always room for improvement, not just for me but for most batters. It's a format where you have to constantly improvise and evolve because opposing teams are continuously analyzing your game and developing counter-strategies," she noted.

Despite the extensive planning and preparation, Mandhana remains grounded, emphasizing the importance of focusing on each ball as it comes. "Coming here, I have specific game plans and individual goals, but ultimately, cricket is about taking it one ball at a time," she said.

India's pace attack will be spearheaded by Arundathi Reddy, with Amanjot Kaur, Gaud, and Sayali Satghare sharing the workload. Renuka Singh Thakur, Pooja Vastrakar and Titas Sadhu are currently sidelined due to injury. Mandhana expressed excitement about the young pace bowlers showcasing their domestic experience on the international stage.

"[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.