India women’s team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana demonstrated exceptional composure during the press conference following the thrilling third ODI against Bangladesh in Mirpur. Despite facing numerous questions about India captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s behavior and fiery comments on umpiring standards, Mandhana gracefully acknowledged that Kaur’s act of smashing the stumps with her bat in frustration was not in line with the spirit of the game but attributed it to the “heat of the moment.”
“What happened during the match is a part and parcel of the game. We’ve seen such incidents in men’s cricket as well, so it’s not unusual for something like this to happen in women’s cricket. When you represent India, winning is always the goal, and in the heat of the moment, she wasn’t happy with the decision given. She felt she wasn’t out, and that’s why she reacted that way,” Mandhana said during the post-match presentation after the 3rd ODI, which ended in a tie after India’s lower order collapsed while chasing 225.
“Knowing Harman as a person and knowing how much she wants to win, it can happen, but from the perspective of fair play, I wouldn’t say it’s acceptable.”
Mandhana on Harmanpreet’s post-match comments
Mandhana was also questioned about Harmanpreet’s post-match comments. The India captain criticized the on-field umpires, Muhammad Kamruzzaman and Tanvir Ahmed, labeling their umpiring as “pathetic” and disrespecting Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana Joty. According to Bangladeshi media, Harmanpreet asked the organizers to call the umpires for the team photo as they were the reason for the shared trophy.
Responding to questions about the umpiring during the match, Mandhana said, “We are really disappointed with some of the decisions made by the umpires.”
Regarding Harmanpreet calling the umpires for a photo op, Mandhana added, “I don’t think she said that. You have mentioned it. I don’t think she said anything towards the Bangladesh captain. From what I heard, she talked a bit about the umpiring. I don’t think she said anything about the Bangladesh players.”
“We should not discuss things that didn’t happen during the match. The post-match incidents were not on camera, that’s something that happened after the post-match presentation, so let’s not talk about it,” Mandhana further added.
Harmanpreet’s actions and comments are likely to attract sanctions from the ICC. “We don’t have the authority to decide on a ban or anything. There’s an ICC panel to handle such matters.”