T20 World Cup: India's path to the Women's T20 World Cup semi-finals remains firmly in their own hands, but Thursday's meeting with Bangladesh offers little room for complacency. With the tournament entering a decisive phase, Harmanpreet Kaur's side must find answers to growing concerns that have surfaced despite occupying a strong position in Group A.
The biggest challenge for India is no longer at the top of the order. Questions surrounding the opening partnership have largely disappeared thanks to the aggressive starts provided by Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma. The duo has consistently laid solid foundations, allowing India to dominate the powerplay in multiple matches.
What follows, however, has become a recurring problem. India's middle order has struggled to convert those strong starts into commanding totals. Too often, momentum has stalled during the middle overs, forcing finishers Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma to play catch-up with limited deliveries remaining. Against stronger opposition, that approach could prove costly.
