India Women’s T20 World Cup 2024: Squad Overview, Key Players, and Match Expectations
Twelve out of the fifteen players in the squad have played in a World Cup before.
India needs to perform well against Australia to boost their confidence for the rest of the tournament.
Harmanpreet Kaur has called her team "our best ever at a T20 World Cup," and it’s hard to disagree.
Twelve out of the fifteen players in the squad have played in a World Cup before. Harmanpreet herself has been part of all eight editions. Indian players also have gained valuable experience from the Women’s Premier League.
Past Performances
In the previous eight T20 World Cups, India has managed to reach the semifinals four times and made it to the final in 2020. However, they were defeated by Australia, who has often been a tough opponent for India.
Australia ended India’s run in the semifinals last year in South Africa, and they are again one of the strong teams in Group A this time.
India needs to perform well against Australia to boost their confidence for the rest of the tournament.
Changes in Plans
India had planned a five-match T20I series in Bangladesh in May, which they won 5-0.
This series was supposed to help them prepare for the World Cup. However, political issues in Bangladesh forced the tournament to be moved to the UAE.
India will start their campaign on Friday against New Zealand in Dubai.
Although they haven't played much cricket in the UAE recently, they should feel comfortable in Dubai and Sharjah.
Team Strategy
India's team looks settled with Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma opening the batting.
The left-handed Mandhana and right-handed Verma create a good balance at the top of the order.
Harmanpreet needs to make a strong impact in this tournament. She has had mixed results in past T20I innings, and if she can perform better, India will be in a strong position to score big or chase down targets.
Key Players
Jemimah Rodrigues has become an important player at No. 5, bringing extra strength to the batting line-up.
The team also has enough all-rounders to offer the captain plenty of options for both batting and bowling.
The pace attack is solid, and they have exciting young spinners like Shreyanka Patil and Asha Sobhana, who could play crucial roles if the pitches support spin.
Recent Challenges
India hasn't played competitive cricket since their surprising loss to Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final in July.
Sri Lanka is one of India's early opponents in the World Cup, and they will look to take advantage of that loss. The competition includes Pakistan, making the group even more challenging.
A Well-Rounded Squad
India has an experienced squad as many have enough experience of taking part in international leagues.
They started their preparations well, winning both of their warm-up matches against West Indies and South Africa.
However, Harmanpreet and coach Amol Muzumdar know that nothing is guaranteed.
Their first goal is to advance from a tough group into the semifinals and then focus on the next steps.
