Dhoni messaged Mandhana to congratulate India’s World Cup team

Former India captain MS Dhoni sent Smriti Mandhana a WhatsApp message after India won the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, asking her to pass his congratulations to the team, the two cricketers said at an event. Mandhana said she was happy Dhoni had contacted her, while Dhoni explained he did not have the other players’ phone numbers. Mandhana described receiving the message after India’s victory and noted that Dhoni did not use his phone often. She said the message congratulated the team, rather than only her. Dhoni said he knew Mandhana’s number and wanted his congratulations to reach the squad, so he asked her to convey them. The exchange was recounted by Mandhana and Dhoni at an event where both appeared. Their remarks provide the account of the private message; no message or screenshot was presented in the reports. Their explanations agree on the purpose of the contact and why Mandhana was the recipient. Dhoni also spoke about the wider significance of the team’s achievement. He said the World Cup win could affect how women’s cricket develops in India and how future generations view cricket as a profession. His comments addressed the team’s broader impact, beyond the final...