Winning ODI World Cup: The reigning ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup winners, India, have set themselves a new target -- to add another global crown to their kitty by winning their maiden ICC Women’s T20 World Cup title in the event, which will be held in England and Wales from June 12.
Having claimed their maiden T20 World Cup title at home last year, India will be making their final preparations for the mega event by locking horns with England in a three-match T20I series to familiarise themselves with the conditions on offer. The Indian players will be taking the field in England on a high following their success over the hosts in the previous white-ball series.
For skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, however, England is an all-too familiar landscape. It was here that she made her India debut at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2009.
With India riding on a wave of confidence, Harman conceded that a fairytale ending to the upcoming tournament will be a dream come true for her.
“It will be a dream come true for any cricketer who made their debut in England and then winning the World Cup in England, I think I can't ask anything else for myself and from God,” she said in the pre-match press conference in Chelmsford on Wednesday.
“And now it's only about just keeping myself in the positive frame and just keep doing the right things again and again, because consistency is something that always gives you results. And it's only about going there and expressing ourselves and enjoying each and every moment on the field.”
Kaur is the only member of the Indian squad who has featured in all the Women’s T20 World Cup editions to date.
Ahead of her 10th outing, however, she has added another feather to her cap, becoming the first Indian captain to lift a Women’s Cricket World Cup trophy.
It is from that euphoric win that Kaur and her team are deriving inspiration ahead of what’s expected to be one of the most competitive editions of the tournament.
“I think winning the World Cup gave us a lot of confidence, and I think that confidence will carry over to this T20 World Cup. When you win, you know what things you have done really well to win that World Cup. We know how to perform under pressure. So I think those things will give us confidence playing this T20 World Cup,” she said.
Slotted in Group 1 alongside Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands, India’s march to the tournament begins with their bilateral series against England on May 28.
“I think winning the World Cup gave us a lot of confidence, and I think that confidence will carry over to this T20 World Cup. When you win, you know what things you have done really well to win that World Cup. We know how to perform under pressure. So I think those things will give us confidence playing this T20 World Cup,” she said.
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Their opening match of the T20 World Cup will see India go up against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 14 at Edgbaston.