"You just keep all your problems aside and be on the field" - Smriti Mandhana's huge statement during first public appearance post canceling wedding

Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana opened up about her love for the game as she made her first public appearance a few days after announcing that her wedding had been canceled. The left-hander said she tells everyone to keep their problems aside once they put on their jerseys.

On December 7, Mandhana issued a statement via her official Instagram handle that her wedding with music composer Palash Muchhal had been called off. The southpaw also requested privacy for both families so they could move on.

Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur recently attended an event in New Delhi, where the 29-year-old said there's nothing that she loves more than cricket. She said, as quoted by Times Now:

"The love for the game, and I don't think I love anything in life more than cricket. So, when you go out to bat or when you go out to represent your country, I don't think any other thoughts are there in the mind. And yeah, I mean, the biggest motivation is that when you put on the jersey and India is written on it." "I mean, I always tell everyone that once you put on the jersey, you just keep all your problems aside and just be on the field, because you have a responsibility and you are one among two billion people who are representing your country," she added.

The Mumbai-born cricketer played an instrumental role in India's maiden Women's World Cup win last month, mustering 434 runs in nine innings at 54.25, including one century and two fifties.

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"I don't look at it as issues" - Smriti Mandhana on disagreements within the team

Smriti Mandhana. (Image Credits: Getty)

When asked about disagreements within the team, Mandhana said players have open discussions as it's important to have everyone on the same page. At the same event, she said:

"Well, I think, firstly, I don't look at it as issues because everyone is wanting to win the game for the country and everyone has their own opinion on how we will win the game for the country. But genuinely, if we don't have those discussions or arguments, we aren't winning on the ground." "Because if we do not have those sorts of discussions where we are disagreeing about something, that means we are not passionate enough to win the match for the team. So, we definitely do have those sorts of discussions," she added.

The opener will be seen in the five-game T20I series against Sri Lanka, beginning December 21 in Visakhapatnam.

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Edited by Parag Jain