- By Gurmeet Batra
- Sat, 18 Oct 2025 10:02 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
IND-W vs ENG-W, Women's World Cup: England's seasoned campaigner Heather Knight warned that India vice-captain and opener Smriti Mandhana poses a notable threat ahead of their high-stakes 2025 Women's ODI World Cup encounter.
Mandhana, who was going through a rough patch, rediscovered her form with an electrifying 80 against Australia in Visakhapatnam; however, it wasn't sufficient to guide India to victory, with the team succumbing to a three-wicket defeat.
The hosts will be hoping Smriti and captain Harmanpreet will be amongst runs when India take on England in a marquee game at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Sunday.
"She hasn't changed much from when I first played against her, which says a lot considering the level of fame she has now. She's still the same old Smriti. She's also incredibly hard to keep quiet with the bat, which will be a big challenge for us when we play India," said Heather on JioStar.
"Harmanpreet and Smriti are very different characters; chalk and cheese, really. Harman wears her heart on her sleeve. She brings passion, energy, and competitiveness. She's a captain I've respected for how she plays the game and takes people along with her. It's going to be a tough test against India; they're playing really well at the moment, and Harman will be key for the Indian team," she added.
Knight fondly reflected on their maiden encounter, noting how Mandhana's down-to-earth nature shone through despite being in the limelight.
"I remember playing against Smriti in her first ODI series. When I saw her playing, I thought, "Wow, this girl is going to be quite good.' Since then, I've admired how she's progressed as a batter and how she's always carried herself with such calmness," said the former England captain.
"That calmness is something I also value as a cricketer, and I have a huge amount of respect for her. I've seen her grow as a leader as well. I played with her in England for Western Storm, in Hobart, and later at RCB under her captaincy in what was a really tough first WPL season for us," she added.
"She found that year difficult, but I gained a lot of respect for how she came back stronger the next season and found her feet. Smriti is a proper rock star in India. Just being around her and seeing how many people recognise her is crazy, but she deals with it all while staying humble," Knight elaborated.