WPL: Smriti Mandhana emphasizes on executing basics for success
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Synopsis
As the Women's Premier League 2025 season nears, Smriti Mandhana, captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, asserts the team's commitment to mastering the fundamentals for title retention.
Key Takeaways
- Smriti Mandhana stresses the importance of basics.
- Competition in WPL is evolving and fierce.
- Delhi Capitals aim for progress with a focus on preparation.
- Mumbai Indians seek to reclaim their title.
- Home support is crucial for UP Warriorz's aspirations.
New Delhi, Feb 7 (NationPress) As the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2025 season approaches, Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Smriti Mandhana stated that her squad will prioritize executing the fundamentals effectively in order to defend their title.
"The competition is not limited to just one team - it’s extensive and continuously evolving. The improvement from the inaugural season to the second was evident, so I cannot single out any one team to target. Our goal is to showcase excellent cricket and elevate women's cricket. This season, our emphasis will be on doing the simplest things correctly and not getting ahead of ourselves," Smriti remarked during Disney+ Hotstar's Superstars: War of Words.
The previous season's runners-up, Delhi Capitals, are keen to advance this year. Jemimah Rodrigues highlighted the significance of preparation and flexibility in T20 matches.
"In T20 cricket, anything can occur, and we must not underestimate any team. The key is to concentrate on what we can control: thorough preparation and effective execution. I may wish to influence the results, but I can't - so I will leave that to greater powers. However, I can promise that we will keep delivering great cricket," she stated.
Inaugural champions, Mumbai Indians, will be captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, who aspires to reclaim the title for a city known for its success in franchise cricket. "As players, our main objective is to deliver excellent cricket and contribute to the team’s victory. There's a lot happening off the field - we all support certain teams, and their matches evoke feelings. But while on the field, those emotions are irrelevant. It's all about fighting for the team until the end and securing the trophy," she expressed.
"We don’t aim to do anything extraordinary, but maintaining our focus on the moment will benefit us. In the inaugural season, we executed many aspects correctly. The second season posed challenges. This time, we will strive to recall the moments from our championship season and play with the same style of cricket," Harmanpreet added.
UP Warriorz are eager to reach their first final, and Deepti Sharma believes that home support will be pivotal in their journey.
"Having a home crowd is significant for us—it will provide substantial support. We have yet to reach the Final, so we will aim to surpass that milestone this time," she mentioned.
Meanwhile, Gujarat Giants are enthusiastic about making their presence felt, with Harleen Deol looking forward to competing in familiar conditions. "This will also be our home environment. Last time we played in Bengaluru, so this should be fantastic," she noted.
The WPL 2025 season will commence with a match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Giants in Vadodara on February 14.
