"I wanted to go out and play my shots" - Smriti Mandhana
Smriti Mandhana has been in terrific form of late, hammering a handful of solid displays in recent outings. In her last 10 innings for India, Mandhana has smashed knocks of 105 against Australia and 54, 62, 77, 91 and 53 against West Indies. In the recently concluded ODI series against Ireland, she registered numbers of 41, 73 and 135.
Mandhana, who captains RCB-W, was delighted with her own performance in recent times. Talking at the post-match presser, Mandhana said, “I would love to carry this wicket [everywhere I go] as a batter for sure, but as a captain I don't know. It's a hard wicket to bowl on. But for me it was very clear than I wanted to go out and try and play shots which are in my arc, because it's not every day that you get the opportunity to do that as an opening batter, because sometimes you have to go out and respect the conditions and play, but [on] wickets like these and the outfield - if it's in your slot, you have to go for it.”
She further stated, “There was no clear plan. I just said, if it's in my arc, I'm going to go for it. Some days it comes off, some days it doesn't. Today I'm happy that it came off."
Mandhana also highlighted India’s bowling brilliance against Ireland, stating, “I think today the wicket also gave a lot of assistance to our spinners, because it was the same wicket which was used in the first two ODIs as well, so there was a little bit of spin on offer. I think first two one-dayers, there was not much in it, and also today they came out and were trying to play some shots, and sometimes, when the batters play shots, that's the best time to get opportunity to get them out.”
She continued, “In the first two one-dayers I thought they were just trying to take a single or double, which again… it's a hard wicket to bowl and try and get them out. I wouldn't say that the bowlers did not do [well] in the first or second ODI. I think they bowled brilliantly in the first and second ODI as well, but today there was a little bit more in the wicket for them and, as I said, the batters playing shots helps."
