Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur expressed confidence in India’s squad for the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 terming it as the ‘India’s Best T20 World Cup Squad’. Her statement highlights the team’s depth and experience. Out of the 15 squad members, 12 have previous World Cup experience, making this a well-prepared side. Harmanpreet praised newcomers Shreyanka Patil, Asha Sobhana, and S Sajana, who earned their spots after standout performances in the Women’s Premier League.
At a pre-departure press conference in Mumbai, Harmanpreet described the current squad as “the best team” India has sent to a T20 World Cup. She singled out bowlers Pooja Vastrakar and Renuka Singh for their ability to provide key breakthroughs. Harmanpreet dismissed any need to compare India’s bowling lineup to other teams, expressing confidence in her players.
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During a conference in Mumbai just before the team’s departure, she said:
“If I talk about this team, we have a few players who have been playing for a long time and they know their roles really well. I can say that this is the best team we are going for a T20 World Cup with.
“Pooja [Vastrakar] is doing well and Renuka [Singh] is supporting her really well. She [Renuka] is someone who is always giving us breakthroughs. Arundhati [Reddy] is someone who can always come and bowl a few overs for the team and bat in the deep. I can’t compare our bowling line-up with other teams because every team has its own positives and negatives, but I’m quite confident in my team. I know what they are doing and what they are capable of.”
India’s preparation has been rigorous, with T20I series against Australia, England, South Africa, Bangladesh, and participation in the Asia Cup. While India lost 2-1 to both Australia and England, they secured a 5-0 sweep against Bangladesh and drew 1-1 with South Africa. Despite an unexpected loss to Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final, Harmanpreet stressed that the team has worked on their weaknesses in subsequent training camps.
“During the Asia Cup, we played really good cricket, if I talk about the entire tournament. It was just one odd game that day when things didn’t go according to the way we wanted. We sat and discussed how we wanted to work on our shortcomings in the camps and where we can improve if next time these kinds of situations arise.”
Head coach Amol Muzumdar emphasized the focus on fitness, fielding, and skills during the pre-tournament camps at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). The team also worked with sports psychologist Mugdha Bavare to manage pressure and mental fatigue. Harmanpreet credited Bavare for helping players improve their mental resilience.
“We had a fitness camp which happened at the NCA and fitness and fielding camp. That was specifically done for those two areas and the skills [aspect] were not touched. The entire 15 days were delegated to fitness and fielding.
“Later on, we had a ten-day skills camp, where there were not just the net sessions but the players played almost five games in ten days. So if you ask for game time, we have ticked that box. We played some very competitive games. There were different oppositions, there were different skill sets that were chosen for those particular games.”
India’s road to the T20 World Cup has been challenging, but India’s best T20 World Cup squad remains optimistic. Harmanpreet, playing in her ninth World Cup, believes that the team is well-prepared to adapt to the conditions in the UAE, where the tournament has been relocated due to unrest in Bangladesh. She urged her teammates to play with freedom and enjoy the game, focusing less on the outcome.
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