The 9th edition of the Women’s Twenty20 (T20) World Cup is scheduled to take place from October 3rd to 20th, 2024, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Ahead of the tournament, India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, head coach Amol Muzumdar and chief selector Neetu David addressed a press conference on September 24th to discuss the squad, ongoing preparations, and injury concerns.
India unveiled their squad on August 27th, with Shreyanka Patil, Sajeevan Sajana, and Asha Sobhana receiving their maiden T20 World Cup call-ups. The only change from India’s recent Asia Cup campaign is the return of Yastika Bhatia and Shreyanka Patil, who were ruled out midway through the Asia Cup due to injury. The selectors also named keeper-batter Uma Chetry and bowling all-rounders Tanuja Kanwer and Saima Thakor as traveling reserves. Additionally, emerging talents Raghvi Bist and Priya Mishra, who impressed during India-A’s recent tour of Australia, have been listed as non-traveling reserves.
During the BCCI presser, Harmanpreet Kaur expressed strong confidence in her team’s ability as they gear up for the T20 World Cup, stating that they have assembled the best possible squad for the tournament.
Reflecting on their recent Asia Cup campaign, where India went unbeaten in the group stage but suffered a tough 8-wicket loss in the final against Sri Lanka, Harmanpreet noted that the team played excellent cricket throughout, with the final being an exception. She emphasized that team discussions are crucial for identifying areas of improvement, signaling a proactive approach to refining strategies and performance.
Harmanpreet Kaur said, “I’m quite confident with this team, and I can say that this is the best team we are going for a T20 World Cup. During the Asia Cup we played really good cricket in the entire tournament, just one odd game… there are a lot of areas where, as a team we sit and discuss how we have to go about it.”
Head Coach Amol Muzumdar discussed the team’s efforts to improve following the Asia Cup, identifying key areas that required special attention. He emphasized that the camps focused heavily on fitness and fielding while ensuring skill development remained a priority. Following these sessions, the team also engaged in 5 matches to identify further areas for improvement and work on delivering stronger performances on the field.
Amol Muzumdar said, “We did identify a few things, and we then went about it in the subsequent camps which followed the Asia Cup… Fitness and fielding camp was specially done for those two areas, where the skills weren’t touched. But later on, we had a 10-day skill camp and played matches. We identified certain things and tried to deliver that.”
Further, Amol Muzumdar expressed confidence in the team’s preparation for the upcoming World Cup, stating, “As far as preparation is concerned, we are absolutely prepared for anything and everything. All I can say is that we are ready to fly into Dubai.”
Harmanpreet Kaur echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of their preparations, “I totally agree with sir. Preparations matter a lot, and we want to win the World Cup, looking for positive results.”
Earlier reports of Jemimah Rodrigues suffering a finger injury while fielding had sparked concerns about her availability for the upcoming World Cup. Additionally, all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar, a key player in India’s bowling lineup, had been managing a shoulder injury. Addressing the situation, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur reassured, saying, “Jemimah and Pooja were always fit… They have been doing absolutely well and are ready to go.”
Amol further highlighted the team’s thorough preparation ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup. He explained that the first 15 days were dedicated to fitness and fielding, followed by an intensive skill camp featuring five matches over 10 days. This rigorous training regimen ensured the players gained sufficient game time, reinforcing their readiness for the tournament.
Amol Muzumdar shared insights into the team’s preparation, stating, “We did a lot of fitness and fielding; the entire 15 days were dedicated to that aspect of the game. The next camp was just the skill camp, where we focused not only on net sessions but also played almost five games in ten days. So, if you ask for game time, we’ve ticked that box.”
India has been placed in Group A alongside six-time champions Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Asia Cup winners Sri Lanka – dubbed the ‘Group of Death’.
Addressing this challenging group, Harmanpreet Kaur expressed confidence in her team’s ability to compete with and defeat these dominant sides, stressing that when India plays at their best, they can win on any given day. While acknowledging Australia’s long-standing success, she emphasized that being recognized as a team capable of beating them was an achievement in itself, reflecting the squad’s positive mindset.
Harmanpreet reflected, “We know that whenever we are playing against them (Australia) and if we play our best cricket, we can beat them any day and anytime. They’ve been winning the title for so many years and it’s a great opportunity for us when a team who is dominating cricket for so many years, they know that this is the one team which is really good and can they beat us, that is a positive.”
Reflecting on the Indian batting lineup, Amol praised the top six players, describing them as the best in the country. However, the No. 3 position has been a topic of debate, especially following India’s recent performances. The team has struggled to maintain consistency, experimenting over that spot. Over the course of five matches in the Asia Cup, Dayalan Hemalatha, Uma Chetry, and Sajeevan Sajana were all tried at the no. 3. spot. Amol Muzumdar mentioned that a candidate for the position has been identified but will only be revealed just before the playing XI is announced.
Amol expressed, “The top 6 are brilliant, the best in the country. Of course, we have identified (no.3 batter) but we will try and reveal that just before the XI is announced.”
India’s squad for the 2024 World Cup:
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
Traveling reserves: Uma Chetry (WK), Tanuja Kanwer, Saima Thakor
Non-Travelling Reserves: Raghvi Bist, Priya Mishra