Mandhana's poor record in knockouts: Can India star end her slump to beat Australia?

Can Mandhana end her knockout slump? [Source: AFP Photo]

The stage is set for an epic clash as India Women will take on the defending champions, Australia, in the semifinals of the Women’s World Cup. India has never won an ICC Women’s trophy, and they need to overcome the Aussie hurdle to keep their dreams alive. Australia are unbeaten in the tournament, and will be the favourites for the match.

For India, star opener Smriti Mandhana holds the key, as in the absence of Pratika Rawal, who got injured in the Bangladesh match, Mandhana will have to carry the batting on her shoulders. However, there is a chinks in her armour and this problem could become a major headache for India ahead of the clash.

Mandhana, not a big game player for India

Smriti Mandhana has a poor track record in the knockouts of the World Cup tournament, and this could be a major cause of worry for the Indian side. Time and again, the Indian opener has done well in the league phases, but has failed when it matters the most.

• The argument holds that Mandhana crumbles in big matches, and the statement is not entirely wrong. As the table suggests, the Indian opener has played quite a few knockout games in her career, and has failed in most of them. An argument can be made that against the best in the business (Australia, England), Mandhana is yet to deliver in crunch situations.
• Her highest knockout score is 34, and three of her scores have been in single-digits, showcasing her inability to handle the pressure.

Why Mandhana fails in big matches?

• The inability to handle pressure: She is arguably India’s best batter, but her inability to handle pressure in big games has led to India’s downfall in knockouts. The ability to score runs when it matters the most separates the best players from good players, and India’s opener is yet to deliver the killer blow in knockouts.
• Mandhana is arguably the best ODI batter in Women’s cricket at the moment, and she is constantly in the spotlight as everyone expects the Indian star to deliver in each and every game. Scoring in every match is virtually impossible, but the Indian superstar needs to score big in the knockouts against Australia.

Why Mandhana holds importance for India

With Pratika Rawal ruled out, and other batters not in their best form, Mandhana’s runs become utmost important for India’s chances of beating the Aussies. If she scores big, the defending champions will be under pressure, and the left-handed batter has a terrific record against them.

(Mandhana vs AUS)

• Mandhana has scored truckloads of runs against the Aussies, and has nearly racked up 1,000 ODI runs against them. She also has four hundreds against them, and thus, Mandhana will be a key for the Indian side.

Final verdict

The Indian opener has a poor track record in the knockouts as she needs to leave the ghost of the past behind and aim to deliver against the Aussies. Her legacy will be cemented as one of the best if she can score against the defending champions. If she fails, her runs in the league stage will be of no importance as critics will once again come after her knockout runs.

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