India’s Smriti Mandhana eyes England T20Is as crucial World Cup preparation

Indian vice-captain Smriti Mandhana believes the five-match T20I series against England will be a key stepping stone in preparing for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, which will also be held in England next year. With conditions expected to be similar, Mandhana sees this tour as vital for acclimatisation and team development. The first match is underway in Nottingham on Saturday.

“Since the T20 World Cup is scheduled around the same time next year, these five matches will be a great chance for us to adapt to the English summer and see how our game fits these conditions,” Mandhana told the ICC.

India’s squad includes several players touring England for the first time, including newcomers Kranti Gaud and Sree Charani. Mandhana highlighted the importance of their early arrival and extended preparation to get comfortable in unfamiliar conditions.

 “We’ve had a solid 25-day prep phase, including targeted camps for batters and bowlers at the NCA in Bangalore. Then we came here early and had a good eight days of preparation, with a few practice games. That was especially important for those experiencing England for the first time,” Mandhana said.

She also praised the return of Shafali Verma to the T20I setup. After being dropped in late 2024 due to poor form, Shafali stormed back with strong performances in domestic cricket and the Women’s Premier League (WPL), where she finished as the fourth-highest run-scorer with 304 runs at a strike rate of 152.76.

 “She’s had an amazing year,” Mandhana said. “She responded to the setback by piling on runs in domestic cricket and dominating the WPL. Her talent was never in question, and I’m thrilled to be opening with her again.”

Shafali was also the top scorer in both the Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy (527 runs at 75.29) and the One-Day Challenger Trophy (414 runs at 82.8), underlining her return to form.

With regular pace bowlers Renuka Singh Thakur, Pooja Vastrakar, and Titas Sadhu sidelined by injuries, India’s attack will feature a new-look pace unit led by Arundathi Reddy. Mandhana expressed excitement about the fresh faces — Amanjot Kaur, Kranti Gaud, and Sayali Satghare — stepping up.

 “WPL and domestic cricket have unearthed some real talent. These girls have played a lot of competitive matches and bring solid experience. I’m really excited to see what they deliver,” Mandhana said.