I don’t complicate my life, Smriti Mandhana says

Dubai: Speaking openly about personal setbacks is never easy. But Indian cricket star Smriti Mandhana kept her message clear and composed during her first public appearance since calling off her wedding with music composer Palash Muchhal.

“I don’t complicate my life,” she said at the Amazon Smbhav Summit in New Delhi this week.

Sharing the stage with teammates Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma, the Indian vice-captain spoke passionately about her deep connection with cricket. “I don’t think I love anything more than this sport,” she said.

Wearing the Indian jersey, she added, continues to be her greatest motivation. “You put all your problems aside. That alone helps you stay focused on life.”

Mandhana also highlighted the Indian women’s team’s improved work ethic over the past two years — something she credits directly for their historic ICC Women’s ODI World Cup triumph in 2025. “There was a visible shift in everyone,” she said, praising her teammates for their clarity and long-term planning.

She reflected on her lifelong passion for batting. “As a kid, there was always that madness. No one understood it, but in my mind, I always wanted to be called a world champion.” Winning the trophy, she said, felt like the culmination of years of collective struggle.

“This World Cup was the reward for everything we’ve fought for. We wanted it so badly. I’ve been playing for over 12 years, and there were so many times things didn’t go our way. We visualised the moment before the final, and seeing it actually happen gave us goosebumps. It was incredibly special.”

Mandhana said the presence of legends Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami at the final added emotional weight. “We wanted to win it for them. Seeing tears in their eyes felt like a victory for women’s cricket itself — a battle won for all of them.”

Reflecting on the tournament, she said two lessons stood out: “Every innings starts at zero, even if you scored a hundred before. And don’t play for yourself — that’s what we kept reminding each other.”