Smriti Mandhana's Heartwarming Gesture: Gifting Hope

Star India batter Smriti Mandhana surprised a wheelchair-bound girl, Adeesha Herath, by gifting her a mobile phone after a match at the Women's T20 Asia Cup. Adeesha, escorted by her mother, was delighted by the unexpected encounter with her favorite cricketer, highlighting her love for cricket.

In a heartwarming gesture, star India batter Smriti Mandhana gifted a wheelchair-bound girl a mobile phone after the team's match at the ongoing Women's T20 Asia Cup tournament here.

Adeesha Herath, who came to the stadium escorted by her mother in a wheelchair, experienced a pleasant surprise as Mandhana came to meet her and presented her a phone.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) commended the moment on Twitter, noting: ''Adeesha Herath's love for cricket brought her to the stadium, despite all the challenges. The highlight of her day? A surprise encounter with her favourite cricketer, Smriti Mandhana, who handed her a mobile phone as a token of appreciation.''

In a video posted along with the tweet, Mandhana was seen engaging with the girl, asking her name and sharing a high-five. “You like cricket, that is nice. You enjoyed today's match. I have brought a gift for you from all of us,” Mandhana told the girl.

Adeesha’s mother expressed her gratitude for the unexpected gift: ''We came to watch the match unexpectedly, as my daughter wanted to go for the match. We met Mandhana madam from the Indian team and my daughter received a phone from her. It was unexpected and my daughter is so lucky to receive this gift from her.''

India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by seven wickets in their opening match and are set to play against the United Arab Emirates on Sunday.