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Indian opening batter Smriti Mandhana has opened up on the Indian Women’s team lifting the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 title after defeating the South African Women’s team by 52 runs in the grand finale in Navi Mumbai on Sunday, November 2.
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Speaking in the post-match presentation ceremony, the opener asserted that it is an unreal moment and she is not able to process the victory as there were multiple heartbreaks in the previous World Cup events for the Women In Blue.
“I don't know how do I react to that. It is still sinking in. As you said, I haven't been emotional on a cricket field. But yeah, I mean, this is a very unreal moment. Home World Cup and yeah, I mean, to be the champion in India, I mean, I just can't. I'm still not able to process it,” Mandhana said in the post-match presentation ceremony.
“I mean, every World Cup we go in and there have been so many heartbreaks for all of us. But yeah, I mean, we always believe that we have a bigger responsibility with women's cricket. And genuinely, just to see the support we've got over the last one and a half month and to see people come and support us. I mean, I don't know how do I explain the last 40 days. But yeah, I mean, to end it with a World Cup win today, I mean, I will take that 45 days of not sleeping every night,” she added.
In the crucial grand finale, Mandhana smacked a 45-run knock off 58 balls with eight fours, stitching a 104-run opening stand along with Shafali Verma. Mandhana ended the campaign as the leading run-scorer for Team India with 434 runs at an average of 54.25.
“The last T20 World Cup for sure was a difficult one for all of us to take. But yeah, I mean, we had a focus on really, you know, trying to work on our fitness, trying to be better at each and every aspect. But I mean, the super strength of this team is no one will talk about it, but it's the way everyone's just stuck in and just playing for each other,” she asserted.
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