Smriti Mandhana: India's Cricketing Beacon Ahead of World Cup Clash

As the ICC Women's World Cup commences, all eyes are on India's Smriti Mandhana, whose record-breaking form sets the stage for a thrilling tournament. Ahead of the opener against Sri Lanka in Guwahati, Mandhana stresses the significance of maintaining focus on team processes amidst soaring expectations.

The left-handed batter has shattered several records, including surpassing the fastest century by an Indian in ODIs, previously held by none other than Virat Kohli. Mandhana's red-hot streak includes 928 runs in 14 innings this year alone, averaging 66.28 with a striking rate of 115.85.

Leading India's charge, Mandhana remains a pivotal player in the squad. Her consistent performance, peaking with 300 runs against Australia recently, positions her to surpass Australia's Belinda Clark for most runs in a calendar year. The Indian team, captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, is bracing for a formidable tournament ahead.

(With inputs from agencies.)