Women's T20 WC: When you play for India, there are no excuses, says Smriti Mandhana

New Delhi: Ahead of India’s campaign starting in the Women’s T20 World Cup on October 4 against New Zealand, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana said there are no excuses on offer when someone is playing for the country at the international level.

India will also play an afternoon game against Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium on October 6. “The afternoon game is going to be a challenge due to the heat, but when you play for India, there are no excuses. You have to prepare well, and I think we have a couple of afternoon sessions lined up to help us get used to the conditions.”

"By the time we face Pakistan, I’m sure we’ll be ready. Mentally, we need to stay strong and keep pushing, staying hydrated is key. It hasn’t been easy. Coming from India, we are somewhat used to the heat compared to other teams, but the first couple of days were really tiring.

"I’m sure by the time we reach our first match, we’ll be better adjusted to the conditions. The preparation has been really good. We had an amazing camp in Bangalore before coming to Dubai, where we tried to cover all bases. Now, it's just about fine-tuning everything before we get going," said Smriti to broadcasters Star Sports.

Talking about the India-Pakistan rivalry in women’s cricket, Smriti remarked, “I think the India-Pakistan rivalry is more about the emotions of the fans than anything else. It’s not like the players don’t talk to each other; it’s the emotions from both nations that make it so intense.”

"For me, every World Cup match is special, and we put the same amount of effort into each game. But there’s definitely a lot of emotion attached to the India-Pakistan games," she added.

India will also be facing Australia and Sri Lanka in their Group A games. "Every game in the World Cup is important, and you have to give your 100% in each one. New Zealand and Sri Lanka are strong teams, but with Australia, you know you can’t afford to make mistakes.

"You have to bring your best game on that particular day to get the better of them. There’s always excitement when facing Australia because they’re such a good team, and beating them is a great challenge," added Smriti.

The left-handed opener, whose cricketing idols were Kumar Sangakkara and Meg Lanning, said she has a lot of fun in opening the batting with Shafali Verma. "It’s a lot of fun opening with Shafali. The conversations between us are pretty funny. I hope the mic never catches them because they can be really random!

"We've been opening together for the last 2-3 years and know each other’s game really well. Many times, we don’t even need to talk; we can just communicate with gestures. There’s a great bond between us, and if we get going in the powerplay, it’s always good for the team."

Speaking about playing under Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti signed off by saying, “It’s been amazing to be on this journey with Harman since my debut. Over the last 8-9 years, we’ve seen how much women’s cricket has grown.”

"One thing about Harman is that she’s always going to fight it out, no matter the situation. She’s fierce and always gives her best, and that’s something I admire. She’s not only a motivation for me but also for the younger players in the team."