Smriti Mandhana Takes Responsibility for India’s Narrow Loss Against England in Women’s World Cup

Indore: India’s vice-captain Smriti Mandhana showed remarkable maturity and leadership by taking ownership of India’s heartbreaking four-run defeat to England in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025. In a crucial chase of 289 runs, Mandhana was India’s top scorer with 88 runs off 94 balls, anchoring important partnerships with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma. However, she admitted her dismissal early in the final overs triggered a collapse that ultimately cost India the match.

Mandhana’s Reflection on Shot Selection

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Smriti expressed regret about the timing and choice of her shots during a pivotal phase. “I think everyone’s shot selection at that time—especially mine—could have been better,” she said candidly. She explained that despite needing six runs per over, patience was the better strategy rather than taking risky aerial shots. “I thought I could take on the bowler, aiming more over covers, but I mistimed it. Maybe that shot wasn’t needed. I should have stayed more patient.”

Her dismissal opened the floodgates with Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma falling soon after, causing India’s middle and lower order to crumble and fall agonizingly short at 284/6 in 50 overs.

Emotional Impact and Squad Dynamics

“It all started with me,” Mandhana said firmly, taking full responsibility for the ensuing batting collapse. She admitted emotions got the better of her, causing her to deviate from her usual disciplined approach.

However, she also defended the team’s batting unit, stating that finishing games against strong teams is always challenging. She pointed out India’s previous good finishes, such as scoring 90+ runs in the last 10 overs against South Africa earlier in the tournament. Mandhana highlighted the importance of experienced players stepping up to guide the younger members during tough crunch situations.

Team Selection and Strategy Changes

In the build-up to the England game, India’s team management made a significant change by dropping batter Jemimah Rodrigues in favor of pacer Renuka Singh to strengthen the bowling arsenal on the flat Indore track. Mandhana acknowledged the difficulty of this decision but emphasized the need to balance the team, especially considering India does not have many batters who can bowl multiple overs.

“It was a tough call to drop Jemimah, but sometimes you need to make those decisions to get the right balance,” she said. The management has acknowledged that five bowling options are essential to avoid being vulnerable if one bowler has a bad day.

Tournament Outlook

This loss to England was India’s third consecutive defeat in the Women’s World Cup, putting their semifinal hopes in jeopardy. They now face immense pressure to win the remaining two matches to stay alive in the tournament.

While India still has talent and fight left to show, Mandhana’s analysis and accountability reflect a team committed to learning and improving.