On the eve of the Girls’s Premier League 2024 ultimate, Smriti Mandhana and Meg Lanning addressed the media. Mandhana shared how awestruck she was left when an already celebrity Lanning flicked a pacer for a six throughout her first tour to Australia in 2016. Seven years down the road, Mandhana is a celebrity and Lanning doesn’t have something left to show to anybody.
“The 2016 tour was the primary time I used to be enjoying Australia in Australia and I keep in mind she had correctly flicked a tempo bowler over fantastic leg for a six, and I used to be like ‘oh, that is some shot!’ She in all probability will not do not forget that,” Mandhana mentioned on Lanning in a pre-match press convention.
RCB in WPL 2023 and 2024 is a special story. After simply managing to remain one place above the dead-bottom in WPL 2023, Mandhana has led her crew on the cusp of historical past this season because the RCB facet has a shot at glory. It was an off season for them in 2023 however come 2024, they’ve discovered match winners within the crew. Asha Shobana, Ellyse Perry and Smriti Mandhana in her personal proper have been the torchbearers of the crew.
The way in which Mandhana has led her troops can also be a factor to cherish. She has been a part of some fairly tense video games this season and has managed her bowlers to some nice extent. “At any time when I noticed her, I noticed the look in her eyes which mentioned give me the ball. It is simply her second WPL season however she is skilled domestically and good to see her carry out nicely,” Mandhana had mentioned on Asha Shobana after the spinner’s five-wicket-haul heroics handed RCB a two-run win towards UP Warriorz out of nowhere.
Within the Eliminator towards the in all probability strongest WPL facet – Mumbai Indians, Mandhana and the crew held their nerves to derail the defending champions in a partly run-chase of 136. “Smriti and Sophie Devine have been those who have been attempting to maintain us calm and it was actually cool from them,” Georgia Wareham mentioned after the thrilling win over MI.
These are the issues a captain has to do however to implement it to one of the best when it’s most difficult speaks volumes of the talents of a pacesetter. Mandhana has proven it fairly nicely this season.
She additionally shared what Lanning had adviced her after a botched-up marketing campaign in 2023. “Ought to I reply this earlier than the match,” Mandhana mentioned with a smile within the presser. “Jokes apart, final yr wasn’t the best for RCB in addition to for me. After the second match towards DC, she got here as much as me and we had a dialog of 10-Quarter-hour, which is basically cool as a result of how a lot ever you play – you play worldwide cricket for a while – if you end up going by one thing like that, a bit dialog with somebody who understands batting as a lot as you do [points to Lanning] actually helps.
“It actually taught me as nicely [about] find out how to look as much as different gamers from different groups if they are not doing nicely. From the time I debuted [in international cricket in 2013], Meg Lanning was the highest run-scorer for Australia, and [I] had at all times appeared as much as her. I keep in mind the 2016 tour [of Australia] the place, for the primary time, I used to be enjoying towards Australia in Australia. I keep in mind actually correctly that point she had flicked a tempo bowler over fantastic leg for a six and I used to be like, ‘Oh, that is some shot’. She will not in all probability do not forget that. However that point I used to be like, ‘Okay, in case you actually need to play, be good at cricket, that is one thing you really want to enhance’. However I’ll hold that factor apart for tomorrow’s match and give attention to attempting to play one of the best cricket and beat them,” Mandhana added.
In the meantime, Lanning additionally had her ideas clear and mentioned that Mandhana was one participant the Australian crew at all times needed to get rid off early within the innings. “At any time when we got here up towards India, we at all times used to speak about Smriti and the way we may get her out early – as a result of we knew how harmful she could possibly be,” Lanning mentioned. “She is a confirmed match-winner in any circumstances. She’s on her personal management journey as nicely, going by ups and downs, and it feels like Smriti is basically beginning to perceive the ins and outs of that, and has performed a wonderful job with RCB this yr,” Lanning mentioned.
The 2 have historical past of their sights. What each the boys’s groups haven’t been capable of do in 16 years in IPL, one in every of them will deservingly earn that on a Sunday evening on the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. It is a stern take a look at for Mandhana the captain towards Lanning, who has every part in her trophy cupboard however for a WPL trophy.
