Smriti Mandhana says she 'doesn't love anything more than cricket' in first public appearance since wedding called off

Star cricketer Smriti Mandhana insists that she doesn’t love “anything more than cricket”, and that there is no greater motivation for her than wearing the Indian jersey. The opening batter and vice-captain of the Indian team made the comment in her first public appearance since her wedding with music composer Palash Muchhal was called off .

Mandhana also reflected on a stellar career that began more than a decade ago and her journey to becoming one of the top stars of the current generation as well as one of the greatest to have represented the country.

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“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,” Mandhana said at the Amazon Smbhav Summit in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Mandhana reflects on India’s ‘incredible’ World Cup triumph

The 29-year-old played a major role in helping India win the Women’s World Cup last month , finishing the tournament with 434 runs to her name at an average of 54.25, collecting a century and two fifties along the way. In the process, the left-handed opener broke the record for most runs by an Indian in a single edition of the tournament, which previously belonged to Mithali Raj (409 in 2017).

Mandhana described India’s maiden triumph in an ICC event as a reward for a battle that they had been fighting for years, which culminated in an “incredible, special moment”.

“This World Cup was the reward for the battle we fought over the years. We were waiting for it so badly. I’ve been playing for more than 12 years — many times things didn’t go our way. We visualised it before the final, and when we finally saw it on the screen, it gave us goosebumps. It was an incredible, special moment,” she continued during the event that was also attended by her captain Harmanpreet Kaur.

“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 added.

The Women in Blue conquered the final hurdle after years of heartbreak with back-to-back victories at Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium – pulling off a stunning chase in the semi-final against defending champions Australia before beating South Africa by 52 runs in the final.