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India opener Smriti Mandhana posted an emotional message on her Instagram after a match-winning 82-run knock against Australia in the T20I series decider at Adelaide Oval. Mandhana shared the ‘harsh truth’ that ‘sport doesn’t care about your feelings’. She posted about the ups and downs a sportsperson faces.
"Sport doesn’t care about your feelings. It’s a harsh truth. But it doesn’t. It doesn’t care if you’re tired. If you’ve just won. If you’re the best player. If you’re the newest player. If you’re the most confident, most nervous, the hardest working. None of it," the post read.
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"It only cares about one thing. How you play the game. How you show up. The intentions you have to be the best you can be on that day. And if, and only if, you give it your all, you give it your full attention and respect, you might be able to come away with a chance of success. And then you get a chance to do it all again. Which I think that is one hell of a feeling," it added.
After Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and opted to bat first, Shafali Verma was dismissed early in the powerplay overs. Mandhana shared a 121-run partnership for the second wicket with Jemimah Rodrigues. Mandhana missed out on an opportunity to score a century. She was dismissed for 82 by Annabel Sutherland in the 17th over. The opener's knock was laced with eight fours and three sixes. She helped India post 176/6 and then win by 17 runs.
What Mandhana said after series win?
Mandhana was named 'Player of the match' as India beat Sophie Molineux-led Australia 2-1 in the series decider.
“It was good to contribute to the series win. I think beating Australia in Australia is something really special. I'm really happy for the team and glad that I could contribute. Jemi coming in and making me run all those twos, but yeah, I think really good partnership between Jemi and me. I think we did beat them in 2016 back when we had come here, but I think we've played T20 after a very long time in Australia, so beating them is really nice, but we will move on to the ODI series and not celebrate too much,” she said in the post-match presentation.
Mandhana will be seen in action as India play the three-ODI series opener on February 24 at The Gabba, Brisbane.
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