Smriti Mandhana made her first public appearance after ending her wedding plans with Palash Muchhal, speaking in New Delhi about her love for cricket, the motivation of wearing India’s jersey, and the team’s World Cup win as a long-fought reward.
Team India Women’s vice-captain and star batter Smriti Mandhana made her first public appearance since the wedding with Palash Muchall was called off at an event in New Delhi on Wednesday, December 10. On Sunday, Mandhana broke off her engagement with Palash after an indefinite postponement of their marriage, which was scheduled to take place on November 23.
The marriage was postponed after Smriti Mandhana’s father, Shrinivas, had a health scare on the day of her wedding. On December 7, a couple of weeks after the marriage was postponed, the Sangli cricketer officially confirmed that her wedding with Palash Muchhal had been called off and requested privacy during this difficult time. Mandhana’s statement came on the back of persistent rumours and speculation about Palash being unfaithful, especially the night before the wedding, which his family had denied.
After the indefinite postponement of the wedding, Smriti Mandhana and Palash Mucchal decided to call off the marriage, with both parting ways on mutual terms after discussions between the two families.
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‘I Don’t Love Anything More Than ,Cricket,’
Speaking at the Amazon Smbhav Summit alongside her Indian teammate and captain Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana reflected on her journey to become the World champion, stating that wearing the Indian jersey remains her motivation and the driving force behind everything she does.
“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,” the 29-year-old.
“As a kid, the madness for batting was always there. No one understood it, but in my mind, I always wanted to be called a world champion,” he added.
Smriti Mandhana made her Team India debut in 2013 and went on to establish herself not only as the all-format player for the national side but also as one of the most consistent and influential batters in women’s cricket. Mandhana and Team India fulfilled the long-cherished dream of lifting the World Cup trophy.
The Sangli cricketer was the standout batter for the Women in Blue, amassing, including a century and two fifties, at an average of 54.25 in nine matches.
The Battle Fought for Years
Team India’s long-awaited dream of lifting the Women’s World Cup trophy finally came true when they defeated South Africa in the final at the DY Patil Sports Academy Stadium in Mumbai on November 2. Speaking about India’s historic triumph, Smriti Mandhana stated that the team was rewarded for the ‘battle’ fought for years.
Smriti also described her long journey in cricket, setbacks faced, and how the team visualized the moment before the final.
“This World Cup was the reward for the battle we fought over the years. We were waiting for it so badly,” Smriti Mandhana said at the event.
“I’ve been playing for more than 12 years – many times things didn’t go our way. We visualized it before the final, and when we finally saw it on the screen, it gave us goosebumps. It was an incredible, special moment,” she added.
Indian Women’s Cricket Team made their World Cup debut in 1978, and it took 47 years to finally lift the coveted trophy, marking a historic milestone for women’s cricket in the country. Team India became the just fourth team after Australia, England, and New Zealand to win the prestigious ICC Women’s World Cup, joining an elite group in the tournament’s rich history.
