India women’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur hopes her team can draw inspiration from the men’s team, who won the T20 World Cup in June, as they prepare for the Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE this October. While the men’s team broke a 17-year drought to lift the trophy, the women’s team is still seeking their first T20 World Cup title, having come close as runners-up in 2020 in Australia.
“We’re inspired by the men’s team winning the T20 World Cup,” Harmanpreet said in Delhi after announcing the Women’s T20 World Cup squad. “They worked hard and won tough matches. We need to learn from their body language and approach in big games. Our goal is to give our country another reason to celebrate.”
India’s women’s team has faced narrow defeats in recent years, including a close loss to Australia in the 2020 T20 World Cup final, the Commonwealth Games final, and the semi-final of last year’s T20 World Cup. They also unexpectedly lost to Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup.
For the upcoming T20 World Cup, India is in Group A with Australia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and Pakistan. Harmanpreet emphasized that no team should be underestimated, and India is working hard to meet fans’ expectations. The tournament starts on October 3 in Sharjah, with India playing their first match against New Zealand on October 4. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, with the final scheduled for October 20 in Dubai.
