"I got goosebump when Neeraj Chopra won Gold" - Smriti Mandhana makes intention clear ahead of Commonwealth Games 2022

Indian women's cricket team's vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has said in a statement that the Indian women's team is all set for the Commonwealth Games 2022 and they are aiming at winning the gold in the prestigious competition.

For the first time, cricket has been included in the Commonwealth Games which will be played in Birmingham later this month. Mandhana has agreed that she has absolutely no experience to play in the Commonwealth Games but she will try her best to give her best and the Indian team will make a name for themselves.

A video has been uploaded in the BCCI Women's Twitter handle in which Mandhana can be heard saying that the girls are very excited. She said that they have all seen the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics, so they all know the feeling of being a part of it. She said that there is always a different feeling and emotion when the Indian flag flies high and they are aiming for nothing less than the Gold medal.

The vice-captain of the Indian women's team recalled the time India's Neeraj Chopra won a Gold medal in Javelin throw at the Tokyo Olympics. She believes that the Indian women's team is ready to bring back that spirit once again. 

Along with India, they also have Barbados, Pakistan and Australia team in their group. Smriti further said that, 'I really got goosebumps when Neeraj Chopra won the Gold medal. The Indian flag went up and the national anthem was playing behind."

Team India, under the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, will play their first match of the competition on the opening day itself against Australia, on 29th of July. They will follow that up with games against Pakistan and Barbados on 31st July and 3rd August respectively.

The semi-finals of the competition will be played on the 6th August while the 3rd place playoff and the final match will be played the very next day on 7th of August.