‘It was the most pressure I had felt’ - Smriti Mandhana recalls tough phase at 2025 Women’s World Cup

Published - 02 Feb 2026, 11:03 IST | Updated - 02 Feb 2026, 11:07 IST

Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana recalled a stressful phase during the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, a tournament in which India Women clinched their maiden ICC title. Despite entering the competition in good form, Mandhana admitted she struggled to make an impact in the early matches. She revealed having an honest conversation with herself ahead of the fourth game against Australia.

Mandhana rediscovered her rhythm in that match, scoring 80 runs, although India went on to lose. She followed it up with a fluent 88 against England, but India suffered another defeat. She got out at a crucial moment in a narrow four-run loss and admitted she was deeply disappointed with herself after the game.

"I came into the World Cup with amazing form. The first three matches did not go as planned, in one-day cricket, I pride myself not to get out in those first ten overs. I remember we lost to South Africa and I had that conversation with myself that what did I do wrong. I was batting well in the nets. I don't know if it was pressure or I was not making the right choices on that particular day. I did not find myself feeling good in those first three matches. The next match, we lost but I got an 80, and I was getting the rhythm. The England game, I was the most disappointed with myself," Mandhana said on the RCB Podcast.

Smriti Mandhana shatters Harmanpreet Kaur’s WPL record

After the England game, Mandhana admitted she was stressed and under immense pressure, revealing that she was unable to speak to anyone for a while. She added that the anxiety lingered through the night ahead of India’s next clash against New Zealand, a must-win encounter for India to keep their hopes of qualification alive.

"I thought, why did I play that shot (Eng game). The next day we had a flight and in the whole flight I was just disappointed. That was the only time I could not speak to anyone. I was stressing a lot. It was the most pressure I had felt. I told myself not qualifying in a home World Cup will do really bad to women's cricket in India and will take us 20 years back. I was stressing the whole night before the New Zealand game,” said Mandhana.

Against New Zealand, Mandhana produced a brilliant century, guiding India to a 53-run victory (DLS method) and sealing qualification for the semi-finals. She described the knock as special given the significance of the match and believed that the semi-final proved to be a turning point that changed the entire complexion of the World Cup.

"Considering the importance of the match and all the noise, it was special. There are some reserved trolls for women which keep coming back. But for us as a team, we prepped so well. What people talk about changes overnight. As a team, we were just helping each other. It was eating me up that we cannot not qualify for the semi-finals of a home World Cup,” said Mandhana.

"We got hit for 300 in that semi-final. But there was a lot of calmness. An earlier team would have been like okay we are done. But there was a lot of positiveness that we are going to chase it. Everyone also batted in that fashion. I did not see the match live, I was inside watching on TV. That semifinal took the World Cup to a different level,” she added.