India squad in good shape for T20 World Cup: Smriti Mandhana
Unwilling to divulge much about the Indian women’s cricket team’s preparations for the T20 World Cup next month, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana on Tuesday said all she can reveal is that the players are in good shape for the 12-team tournament. The women’s T20 World Cup will be played in England and Wales from June 12, with ODI World Cup winners India set to take on arch-rivals Pakistan in their tournament-opener on June 14.
“The camp has gone well and I would like to keep it at that. I would not like to say any specifics of what we have worked on because we are heading to a World Cup,” Mandhana said at a press conference organised by feminine care brand Pee Safe here.
“But what I would say is that all the girls are looking in good shape, they have been practising really well and a lot of hard work has gone behind it,” she added. The 15-member Indian squad underwent a training camp at the Centre of Excellence (COE) in Bengaluru and is set to depart for England on May 22 for a three-match T20I series against the hosts before the World Cup.
“We are prepping for the World Cup and we will leave for a series before it. The preparations have been going well and I hope that we keep working hard and make India proud and bring the cup back home,” Mandhana said.
Mandhana, who also interacted with school-going children here, said it is important for younger generation to know that there are career opportunities in sports.
“The questions that they ask at that age, I would not (have) known what they are asking. They really want to know what we go through, which is extremely nice,” Mandhana said.
“For me it’s very important to give them a message firstly, how sports and cricket have a career and you can actually make a career out of it.
“The other important thing for me, which I try and tell is to enjoy the process and what they do...I just really want all the kids to enjoy and follow their passion, so that’s one message that I give to the young kids,” she added.
