Smriti Mandhana: No Shortcuts to Beating Australia in Women's T20 World Cup

India's Smriti Mandhana Emphasizes the Importance of Giving 100% to Beat Australia in Women's T20 World Cup

Ahead of the Women's T20 World Cup, India's vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has stressed the significance of giving their all to overcome the formidable Australian team. Australia has dominated the tournament, winning the last three editions.

Mandhana acknowledged the strength of New Zealand and Sri Lanka, but emphasized that Australia demands a different level of focus. "You have to bring your best game on that particular day to get the better of them," she said. "There's always excitement when facing Australia because they're such a good team, and beating them is a great challenge."

Regarding the highly anticipated clash against Pakistan, Mandhana highlighted the emotional intensity it evokes. "The India-Pakistan rivalry is more about the emotions of the fans than anything else," she said. "For me, every World Cup match is special, but there's definitely a lot of emotion attached to the India-Pakistan games."

Mandhana also addressed the challenges of playing in Dubai's afternoon heat. "The afternoon game is going to be a challenge due to the heat, but when you play for India, there are no excuses," she said. "We have a couple of afternoon sessions lined up to help us get used to the conditions."

Mandhana emphasized the importance of staying hydrated and mentally strong. "Mentally, we need to stay strong and keep pushing," she said. "By the time we face Pakistan, I'm sure we'll be ready."

India will face New Zealand in their opening Group A match on Friday, followed by the highly anticipated clash against Pakistan on October 6.

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