Women's T20 World Cup: Indian players prioritizing mental strength
Indian women's cricket team captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, has revealed that the squad is prioritizing mental strength ahead of the 2024 ICC Women's T20 World Cup. This strategic focus aims to enhance their performance during high-pressure situations. "We have been working on mental strength for a long time," Kaur told Star Sports. She emphasized the importance of maintaining composure during the final overs of a match, which often determine its outcome.
India's journey in the T20 World Cup
India, the runners-up of the 2020 Women's T20 World Cup edition, are set to compete in Group A. They will face formidable opponents including six-time champions Australia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Kaur expressed confidence that their focus on mental strength would help them navigate these challenges successfully. She also highlighted the team's diverse composition as a strength, noting that players from various states bring unique perspectives and experiences to the table.
India's performance in previous tournaments
India's track record in final matches has been a topic of discussion. They lost the 2020 T20 World Cup final to Australia by 85 runs and were defeated by England in the 2017 ICC Cricket World Cup final by just nine runs. More recently, India lost the 2022 Commonwealth Games (CWG) gold medal after losing the final to Australia. Despite these setbacks, Kaur remains optimistic about their prospects in the upcoming tournament.
A look at Team India's squad
India's squad for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wicket-keeper), Yastika Bhatia (wicket-keeper)*, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Dayalan Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil*, and Sajana Sajeevan. *Subject to fitness clearance. Travelling Reserves: Uma Chetry, Tanuja Kanwer, and Saima Thakor. Non-Travelling Reserves: Raghvi Bist and Priya Mishra
