Shadow like an elder sister and companionship like a rock…that pure bonding of Smriti Mandhana and Jemima, which made the cricket world cry.

New Delhi. Whenever there is talk of Indian women's cricket, Smriti Mandhana's classic batting and Jemimah Rodrigues' bubbly personality definitely come up. But the relationship between these two is not limited to just two players of one team. Recently, Jemimah Rodrigues described her relationship with Smriti Mandhana as 'real sisters'. In this dazzling world of cricket, where competition often overshadows relationships, this 'pure bonding' of Jemima and Smriti sets an example.

While talking to CNN-News18, Jemimah Rodrigues said emotionally, 'Smriti Mandhana has taken care of me like an elder sister. As athletes, we stay away from our families throughout the year, so having such peace and togetherness within the team is no less than a blessing. According to Jemima, their relationship is all about having a lot of fun, teasing each other, teasing each other over small things, but the most important thing is that they stand like a rock for each other when needed.

The greatest example of friendship
The depth of the friendship between Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues came out in front of the world in the last few months. Last year, when Smriti Mandhana's marriage broke down, Jemimah decided to support her friend regardless of herself. He even gave up his lucrative contract of Australia's prestigious 'Big Bash League' (BBL) to provide emotional support to Smriti. This was a big decision in a player's career, which shows that for Jemima, Smriti's grief was bigger than her own career.

When she stood together even after becoming a rival
These two friends were face to face in the final of the recently concluded Women's Premier League. Smriti's 'Royal Challengers Bangalore' won the title, while Jemima's 'Delhi Capitals' had to be content with becoming the runner-up for the fourth consecutive time. After the defeat, Jemima broke down badly on the field and had tears in her eyes. At such a time, instead of celebrating, Smriti Mandhana first reached out to Jemima and consoled her by hugging her. This scene became one of the most emotional moments in cricket history.

World Cup victory and 'Mission England'
This pair also played an important role in India's historic victory in the 2025 World Cup. While Smriti scored 434 runs at an average of 54.25, Jemimah contributed 292 runs at an excellent average of 58.40. Now their eyes are on the T20 World Cup to be held in England in June 2026. Jemima is full of confidence and believes that Team India has the power to do the 'double' (T20 World Cup after ODI) this time. He said, 'Our responsibilities and expectations have now increased, but we are working hard so that the tricolor can fly proudly once again.'