As Harmanpreet Kaur boldly declared, “This is our best team ever at a T20 World Cup,” anticipation and hope surged through Indian cricket fans and analysts alike as the squad prepared to embark on their journey to Dubai. This statement from the Indian captain reflects a significant sense of confidence and determination within a team that has embraced an unprecedented level of stability. The current squad boasts a remarkable 10 members who have been retained from the 2023 World Cup squad, a solid foundation enhanced by an influx of top performers from the Women’s Premier League. This combination is expected to bring additional batting depth and a strategic variety to their attack. Furthermore, the league has facilitated the return of three key players, further solidifying India’s prospects.
During this World Cup cycle, the teams to beat remain Australia and England. Nonetheless, India has demonstrated their prowess with comprehensive victories over both in three match encounters, signaling a shift in their competitive positioning on the global stage. However, the Indian squad’s year faced setbacks with a poorly executed chase of 190 runs against South Africa in Chennai, followed by a surprising defeat in the Asia Cup final to a Chamari Athapaththu-inspired Sri Lanka. This loss marked their last competitive game prior to the World Cup, underscoring the need for improved pressure handling—a critical aspect the team has focused on extensively.
To address this, India has engaged a professional sports psychologist and conducted multiple skills camps under the guidance of coach Amol Muzumdar, who took over the reins with a renewed vision. This psychological preparation aims to equip the players better, especially after a series of past knockout-stage defeats.
The relocation of the World Cup from Bangladesh to the UAE hasn’t dampened India’s spirits. Their spin-heavy attack is well-suited for the UAE conditions, complemented by a ‘top-of-the-class top-six’ batting line-up. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, the dynamic opening duo, have been showcasing impressive form. Meanwhile, Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur have delivered half-centuries in both official warm-up games and unofficial intra-squad matches over the last month, cementing a robust batting line-up.
India’s number three position, a slot previously characterized by experimentation, has now been “identified”, and a talented set of all-rounders bolsters the team’s strength alongside finishers like Richa Ghosh and Pooja Vastrakar. These developments shape India as a formidable contender on the world stage, poised with the capability to secure the elusive silverware.
Form Guide (latest T20I first)- L W W W W
Reflective of their preparation and determination, the Indian squad is structured as follows: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Dayalan Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, Sajana Sajeevan.
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Traveling Reserves: Uma Chetry (wk), Tanuja Kanwar, Saima Thakor
Non-Traveling Reserves: Raghvi Bist, Priya Mishra
One player who stands out in this talented roster is Shreyanka Patil. Uniquely quicker than most off-spinning allrounders in the Indian circuit, Patil has leveraged this as her unique selling point (USP), rather than downplaying it. Overcoming a finger fracture midway through the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024, Patil played a pivotal role in spinning Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to an iconic victory with a stunning 4/12 performance in the final. She ended the season with the Purple Cap, having taken 13 wickets in eight matches, and was awarded the Emerging Player of the Season. This recognition paved the way for her to earn her India cap. Patil had already garnered attention during her maiden stint at the Women’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2023, leading the wicket-taker charts with nine scalps at an average of 11.66. Her ability to bowl in all phases of the game, lower-order hitting prowess, and fielding agility mark her as a player to watch.
Yet, despite the team’s high standing, the psychological hurdle posed by Australia remains a formidable challenge. Historically, Australia has posed significant obstacles in India’s path during T20 World Cup dreams, having stopped them in both previous editions and their attempt at securing the inaugural Commonwealth Games Gold in between. Classified in the ‘group of death’, the upcoming face-off between India and Australia marks an intense tussle. Thus far, the two teams met once in a three-match T20I series this World Cup cycle where the reigning champions Australia secured a dominant 2-1 win, coming from behind. No doubt, India will be eager to overcome past adversities and set the record straight.
This marquee match gains an added layer of intrigue as it is India’s sole group game in Sharjah, occurring towards the end of the round. Contrastingly, Australia will have already played twice at this venue, potentially achieving a better understanding of the conditions.
Reflecting on their recent history, India concluded the 2023 tournament campaign as losing semi-finalists.
Their full league stage schedule is as follows:
– vs New Zealand, October 4 in Dubai at 6 PM local | 7:30 PM IST
– vs Pakistan, October 6 in Dubai at 2 PM local | 3:30 PM IST
– vs Sri Lanka, October 11 in Dubai at 6 PM local | 7:30 PM IST
– vs Australia, October 13 in Sharjah at 6 PM local | 7:30 PM IST
With a blend of stability, talent, and determination, the Indian team is poised to break their World Cup jinx and aim for the ultimate prize in cricket’s shortest format.