A Test match win is pretty special – Smriti Mandhana on India’s WTest win at Lord’s

The Indian women’s cricket team carved history at Lord’s by becoming the first team to win a WTest at England’s expense.

Smriti Mandhana commandeered the Indian charge with an exceptional 83 in the first innings and followed that up with another phenomenal 70 in the second innings.

Talking on BBC’s Stumped podcast, Mandhana opened up on the historic win and how it lifted the spirits in the Indian dugout. She also reminisced India’s defeat in the 2017 World Cup final and how that made India’s Test win at Lord’s made it even more special for the entire side.

Expressing her feelings about the win, Mandhana said, “It was pretty special, I mean, personally, I think when it was declared that we're playing a test match at Lord's and we're going to be the first women's team. I actually was surprised that it took those many years for women to play test match at Lord's.”

She further added, “But again, being part of the history in a way where, I mean, hundred years later, whenever Lords would be discussed, and they'll talk about women's test match, we would always go down as the first England and India would be the first team who played there. Of course, England would be the first, for us to play the first one at Lord's is pretty special, and for us as a player to be part of it.”

She concluded by dropping a quick word about the memories of 2017, stating, “And I remember when we played the 2017 World Cup finals there, I did think that it would be pretty cool to walk out in whites in that MCC, I mean, the long room, and just going out to bat. And when we got to do that, it was pretty special, so, and yeah, then to contribute in whatever ways to get the win and a test match win is pretty special.”