Before the crucial contest between the Women in Blue and the White Ferns, Devine, all-rounder Suzie Bates, and star spinner Amelia Kerr shared their insights on the strengths of Indian players Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur. Meanwhile, the Indian vice-captain expressed her admiration for the Kiwi captain.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"Honestly, I have so much respect for Smriti and what she goes through daily\u2014the fans and all the support she has. Her ability to remain calm and consistent is remarkable. Watching her at training and seeing how thorough she is with her preparation and batting gives me a new level of respect.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"As an opposition captain, it\u2019s tough because there aren\u2019t too many weaknesses, but that\u2019s what makes it exciting\u2014you want to compete against the best players in their best form.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"She\u2019s probably the most in-form player in the world at the moment. I\u2019m looking forward to taking them on in Mumbai. Hopefully, we have a few New Zealand supporters, though I\u2019m pretty sure we\u2019ll be outnumbered\u2014but it\u2019ll still be a really awesome occasion,\" Devine said on JioStar.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Mandhana, meanwhile, also spoke about the experience and power that her RCB teammate brings into the game while representing her national side, saying, \u201cWhenever we are playing against Sophie Devine, it\u2019s like drop anyone but do not drop Sophie. I remember watching her as a 17-18-year-old when she hit the fastest 50 against India at Chinnaswamy. I took a photo with her so that I could compare my muscles with hers, and I want to hit sixes like her. She\u2019s left a legacy behind for New Zealand and world cricket.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
New Zealand\u2019s Suzie Bates believes that India\u2019s experienced duo of Kaur and Mandhana are \u2018polar opposites'. The Kiwi all-rounder decoded the Indian captain and vice-captain\u2019s style of play and said, \"They\u2019re (Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur) almost polar opposites in demeanour, and they balance each other out in captain and vice-captain roles.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"Harmanpreet has been around for a long time. Every time I\u2019ve been around, it\u2019s been up against her, and she\u2019s ultra-competitive and feisty. That brings the best out in her and her teammates. Her teammates know that when she\u2019s on the field, she\u2019ll lead the fight and ensure they compete every ball.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"Smriti\u2019s calmness complements Harmanpreet\u2019s aggression. When I speak to Amelia Kerr, who has played alongside Harmanpreet at Mumbai Indians, she really enjoys her captaincy. Having the opportunity to lead in a home World Cup is a big moment, especially later in a career, and it will be exciting for her.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Amelia Kerr, who played a crucial role in New Zealand\u2019s victory at the T20 World Cup and continues to significantly contribute to the team\u2019s success across all formats, emphasised the importance of facing Indian spinners like Deepti Sharma and Radha Yadav.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"Smriti\u2019s calmness complements Harmanpreet\u2019s aggression. When I speak to Amelia Kerr, who has played alongside Harmanpreet at Mumbai Indians, she really enjoys her captaincy. Having the opportunity to lead in a home World Cup is a big moment, especially later in a career, and it will be exciting for her.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Notably, Deepti is the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 13 scalps in her kitty from five games.<\/p>\r\n\r\n