Smriti Mandhana Reveals Her Cricket Idol, Sheds Light on Kia Super League Experience

The opening batsman of Indian Women’s Team, Smriti Mandhana has named her favourite batsman. The classical left-handed cricketer called Sri Lankan batting legend, Kumar Sangakkara as her favourite cricketer. Besides this, she said that veteran wicketkeeper-batsman stands as her inspiration. The promising cricketer is busy in Kia Super League (KSL) that is underway in the United Kingdom (UK).

Smriti, the top-order batswoman got a chance to meet her idol in England this time around. She termed the meeting with her inspiration as a ‘confidence booster’ before the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 in November.

Smriti Mandhana in a chat with BCCI.TV:

In a candid conversation with BCCI.TV, the classical left-hand cricketer said,

“I have been a huge fan of Sangakkara Sir since I started watching cricket on the TV. Whenever I do not feel good about my batting, I go back and watch his clips. He was commentating on our game (in the Super League), and I asked him ‘do you feel anything wrong in my batting which I can improve on’?”

Smriti Mandhana on her dream meeting with Sangakkara:

She recalled her meeting with Sangakkara in England and lauded his batting efforts.

“He was like… ‘you are in very good touch and if you are thinking too much about it then you will definitely not bat the way you are (batting right now). Just go out there, the way you are batting I do not think there is anything there’. So that was something really good to know from a legend like Sangakkara Sir, that he likes my batting, drives and all that stuff. That was a really good confidence booster for me and meeting your idol is always good.”

When asked about the experience during the Kia Super League (KSL), Smriti Mandhana said she was keen to take part.

Smriti played many match-winning knocks in the league including equalling the record of fastest fifty.

“I was very keen to play in this league because I will be playing the same bowlers in the World Cup. After playing (against) then I will also be able to tell my team how they are bowling or what they are strategizing,” Smriti concluded.