Harmanpreet Kaur Confident in India’s Experience-Driven Squad for Women’s T20 World Cup 2024

Harmanpreet Kaur, captain of the Indian women’s cricket team, expressed confidence in her squad ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. With 12 of the 15 players having prior World Cup experience, Kaur believes that this seasoned lineup brings invaluable expertise to the tournament.

The only new faces in the squad—Shreyanka Patil, Asha Sobhana, and S Sajana—have earned their places through strong performances in the Women’s Premier League.

Speaking at a pre-departure press conference in Mumbai, Kaur highlighted the team’s strengths, particularly the depth in their bowling attack. “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,” she said. “This is the best team we are going for a T20 World Cup with.”

Kaur specifically mentioned the contributions of bowlers like Pooja Vastrakar, Renuka Singh, and Arundhati Reddy. While acknowledging the distinct qualities of other teams’ bowling lineups, she emphasized her belief in her squad’s potential.

“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.”

India’s World Cup preparation has included a series of matches against strong teams like Australia, England, South Africa, and Bangladesh. While they lost close series against Australia and England, they dominated Bangladesh with a 5-0 win and drew a 1-1 series with South Africa.

The team, however, faced a setback in the Asia Cup, where they were unexpectedly defeated by Sri Lanka in the final.

Reflecting on the Asia Cup, Kaur said, “It was just one odd game where things didn’t go the way we wanted. We sat and discussed our shortcomings and worked on them in the camps.”

The Asia Cup was India’s last competitive outing before the World Cup, but players have since participated in fitness camps and international leagues, including The Hundred and the Women’s Caribbean Premier League.

Head coach Amol Muzumdar emphasized that the camps were focused on fitness and fielding, leaving the team well-prepared despite limited match time.

For Kaur, the 2024 tournament marks her ninth T20 World Cup appearance. With her wealth of experience, she is ready to handle the pressure. “I’m going with the same excitement as I had when I was just a 19-year-old,” she said. “I just want to go there and enjoy myself. I know what the pressure is like and how I’m going to handle it.”

India will look to capitalize on their experience and preparation as they aim for a strong showing in the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup.