CHENNAI: HOURS after Neeraj Chopra recorded 88.39m — ensuring his qualification for the final — in the Javelin Throw event at the World Athletics Championships, Oregon on Friday, halfway across the world, India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana was taking inspiration from the Olympic gold medallist.
As the Indian team is set to leave for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, it would be a one-of-a-kind experience for the players. This is the first time women’s cricket is getting featured in the event. And it seems like India would not want to settle for anything less than the yellow metal. "We all have watched the Olympics and the CWG, when the Indian flag goes high and we hear the National Anthem, we know the kind of feeling it evokes,” said Mandhana in a press conference.
"Definitely we are aiming for the gold. I don't think we will just look for a podium finish because when the flag goes higher, and the National Anthem is played, that's the best feeling you have. I literally got goosebumps when Neeraj got the gold at the Tokyo Olympics. We have an opportunity to be there, try and do that — of course not for the Olympics but for CWG. So, we all are really excited.”
India will be going into the Commonwealth on the back of a 2-1 win against Sri Lanka. Mandhana firmly believes that they ticked the boxes they were focusing on the tour and are well prepared for the marquee event. She said that since the 2020 T20 World Cup final, India have developed several match winners in the format. “Even if 2-3 batters or bowlers click on that day, it will be our day. That's one good thing that has happened over the years. We now have a lot of match winners in our team."
In the Birmingham games, India are in Group A along with Australia, Pakistan and Barbados — who won the 2019 regional one-day competition and will be representing West Indies — while South Africa, New Zealand and Sri Lanka are in Group B with hosts England. And, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side would kick off their campaign against Australia on July 29.
"We have played them (Australia) in the openers in quite a lot of tournaments. In a T20 tournament, any team can beat any team. I wouldn't term Australia as a big team and make them feel good about that. Definitely in our heads, (all of) Australia, Pakistan and Barbados matches are important.”
In the group stage matches, India will have to win at least two matches to comfortably go through to the knockouts. But Mandhana didn’t seem bothered at all and was clear on what they, as a team, intend to do. "We are looking to win every match. Not one match and then think of what will happen. That’s not how this team thinks. We will try to win all three matches. For us, that’s the plan.”