CWC 2025: WATCH- “Only statistic I want to see is that ‘India has won the 2025 World Cup’”- Smriti Mandhana not focusing on personal milestones

Mandhana has most runs in CWC for India, 389 in 8 games including one century and 2 fifties.

India Women’s team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has stated that the team is focused on the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 final against South Africa and has left the semi-final win over Australia behind. She also talked about not focusing on her milestones and playing for the team's needs and win.

A new Women’s ODI champion will be crowned as India and South Africa will clash in the final at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on November 2, 2025. This will be the Indian team’s third appearance in the World Cup final, and the hosts would now aim to end their ICC trophy drought.

Mandhana stated that her emphasis is on winning the trophy for her country, as many people have waited a long time for the women's team to win the World Cup.

“The World Cup is always special—but a home World Cup is something else altogether. I remember visiting the stadium a couple of months ago for an ad shoot and standing on the balcony thinking, ‘How amazing would it be if we win here on the 2nd?’ Now, that dream is within reach. Our focus as a team is to leave everything behind," said Mandhana on ‘Follow The Blues’ on JioHotstar.

“Whatever happened in the past or in the semi-final, give 100% in the final. Everyone has been meticulous with their preparations, whether in the gym or at training. As players, it’s in our hands how we prepare. I know a lot of dreams across India are connected with this final, and we will try our best to make those dreams come true—because fans will live those moments through our eyes,” she added.

Mandhana is India's best run-scorer in the tournament, with 389 runs in 8 matches and an average of 55.87. In addition, she scored a century against New Zealand during the league stage.

However, the 29-year-old is determined not to dwell on personal accomplishments because, in the end, the competition is about whether or not the team wins.

“In this World Cup, my only goal was to do whatever the team needed from me. In the past, I came in with personal targets—wanting to score specific runs or achieve certain milestones—but things rarely go exactly as planned. This time, my intention was very clear: to focus on preparation and execution rather than numbers,” said Mandhana.

“Personally, the only statistic I want to see is that ‘India has won the 2025 World Cup.’ That’s what will mean the most to me. As a batter, I’ve realized that you can’t overthink in cricket—it’s all about reacting to the ball. Whoever reacts best on the day will do well. So for me, it’s about staying calm, being present, and contributing in whichever way the team needs,” he added.

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