Former India men's cricketer Vivek Razdan has urged vice-captain Smriti Mandhana to focus on her natural batting style and avoid trying to replicate the aggressive approach of her opening partner Shafali Verma. India will face defending champions Sri Lanka in the Women's Asia Cup final at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, with the seven-time champions entering the contest as favourites.

Razdan cautioned India against taking Sri Lanka lightly, particularly after the defending champions produced a strong comeback against Pakistan in their semifinal. Sri Lanka recovered from 33/4 to chase down the target despite captain Chamari Athapaththu departing early, underlining the batting depth available in their line-up. India had also lost to Sri Lanka in the final of the 2024 edition in Dambulla.

India's bowling attack has been among the team's strengths in the tournament, with Razdan pointing to contributions from N Sree Charani, Shafali Verma, Prema Rawat and Deepti Sharma. The spinners have collectively taken 26 wickets so far, providing India with a strong foundation heading into the title clash. However, Razdan believes the team needs to improve its approach during the powerplay.

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Shafali has scored 168 runs in the tournament, while Mandhana has contributed 154, with the pair accounting for much of India's top-order scoring. Razdan noted that Shafali's fifty against Bangladesh came after she survived several chances, including three dropped catches and a run-out opportunity. He stressed that Mandhana's role is different and that she needs to spend more time at the crease.

Razdan said Mandhana should not try to play in the same high-risk manner as Shafali because it does not suit her game. He emphasised the importance of India navigating the powerplay without losing early wickets, allowing the middle and lower order to build on a solid platform. With Dubai's slower conditions potentially making run-scoring challenging, a strong start could prove important in the final.

According to Razdan, Mandhana could be the key player in India's pursuit of another Asia Cup title. He believes that if India's top order can provide stability early in the innings, the team's lower-order batters will have the opportunity to accelerate later and build a substantial total. The former cricketer therefore identified Mandhana as the player he would be watching most closely during the title decider against Sri Lanka.

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