According to Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur, the team wants to keep its “positive mindset” ahead of the ICC Women’s World Cup opener against Sri Lanka.
According to Harmanpreet, there is a very good presence of batter Uma Chetry in the side, and she looks ready to represent the country at the biggest showpiece event.
India, the two-time runners-up for the ICC Women’s World Cup in 2005 and 2017 editions, would commence the 2022 campaign against Sri Lanka in Guwahati on Monday. Coming into the World Cup after losing a series 1-2 against Australia at home, Team India got off to a bad start during their preparations when they lost by 152 runs against England in a warm-up match in Bengaluru on Thursday. Since the last World Cup in 2022, when it was an exit in the group stage, India played a total of 38 ODIs, winning 25, losing 12, and tying one.
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The 23-year-old Assam batter Uma, yet to make her ODI debut and having scored 37 runs in four T20Is innings for India, looked in good touch in the two warm-up matches against England and New Zealand with fluent 45 off 50 against England and aggressive 38 off 36 against New Zealand.
Trailing the tournament, Harmanpreet said that this is India’s best chance to win a world title across any format in women’s cricket.
“I am not just saying because we have the advantage of playing at home, but the amount of cricket we have played and the results we have got in the last couple of years, I think that shows we have depth in our game, whether it is batting or bowling. We have improved significantly in many areas, so I think there are chances. But I think tomorrow is our first game. Our main focus is on tomorrow’s game and setting the tone for us, that is something we are really looking forward,” she said.
“Hopefully, we will keep playing our good cricket the way we have played in past one and half year. Hopefully, we will not put any pressure. We will continue to enjoy the way we did last time whenever we get the opportunity. It is a very exciting tournament for us. And I just want all of us to stay in a very positive frame of mind, where we can give our best,” she added.
Speaking on Uma, Harmanpreet said that in the last two warm-up matches, she has shown the caliber she has, and batted beautifully in both innings.
“She is someone who is equally important in the team. She looks ready. If given a chance, I am sure if she gives it 100 per cent, whimsically,” she added.
“I feel spinners are Team India’s biggest strengths, and when the team needed them, they stood up for us. Whenever we put trust in them, they delivered. We will check out the pitch and conditions, then decide the playing XI.”
Talking about Barsapara Cricket Stadium at Guwahati, which will be new to the team, the skipper rued that “I think many stadiums in India have the same feel and similar pitches”.
The team needs to keep an eye on the dew factor in these day-night matches.
The skipper lauded the immense support from the crowd in the past three or four years.
Harmanpreet added that India had played a lot of ODI cricket and had won a good share of them after their group stage exit during the last T20 World Cup in order to build confidence required to excel in the tournament.
