Page 47 - The Indian EYE 100424

SPORTS OCTOBER 04, 2024 | The Indian Eye 47

Aussie Challenge: Can Women in Blue lift

the ICC T20 world championship?

Harbhajan Singh believes Australia will be the team India needs to be careful of in

the ongoing Women’s T20 World Cup in Abu Dhabi

OUR BUREAU
India has Australia, New Zealand,
New Delhi Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. All these
matches will definitely be important.
he Indian women’s team will be But one match that I think will be
in action during the ICC Wom-
Ten’s T20 World Cup, which a little tough is the India-Australia
match.”
started on Thursday. They will be “Australia is a good team, even
kickstarting their tournament against though these matches are being
New Zealand on Friday. Indian wom- played in Dubai, on subcontinent
en’s team has never managed to win a pitches that might not suit them as
50-over or 20-over World Cup. Com- much as their home conditions. But
ing to the T20 WC, their best finish Australia, no matter where they
was the runners-up finish to Australia play, are hard to beat. So, the biggest
in 2020. In the previous edition of the challenge for India may be Austra-
tournament held last year, India fin- lia. Sri Lanka, too, after their recent
ished in the semifinals, losing to Aus- series win against India, will be con-
tralia by five runs. fident when they play against India.
Former Indian spinner Harbha-
jan Singh said that Team India will So, that will also be a good contest,”
he added.
be a team to beat during the ICC India have encountered trouble
Women’s T20 World Cup, highlight- in the form of Australia during their
ing that the team has a “mixture of quest for the T20 title. India reached
experience and youth”. their first-ever T20 World Cup final
Speaking on Star Sports, Har-
bhajan said, “Team India will be the in 2020 at the Melbourne Cricket
Ground, a night filled with hope of
team to beat in this tournament. securing the elusive title. However,
The World Cup is about to start, Harmanpreet’s side folded for 99
and I think India’s team is very while chasing 185 against Australia.
strong. They have both experience In the last edition of the T20
and youth. Harmanpreet (Kaur) is World Cup in 2022, India once again
in good form, Smriti (Mandhana) is was on the cusp of making history,
in good form, and Deepti (Sharma) storming into the semi-finals. Howev-
is an unbelievable spinner. They are er, Australia proved to be a stumbling
a very capable team and have been block in the final four, taking away In-
playing very good cricket. The unit dia’s hopes to enter the winners’ list.
looks solid. If Team India plays good In July, India’s T20I series
cricket overall, I believe they will win against South Africa ended in a draw.
this tournament.” In the Asia Cup 2024, India lost the
Harbhajan said that the team In-
dia should not be under any pressure final to Sri Lanka, who remained un-
beaten throughout the tournament.
and only thing that matters is “Gur- In the T20 World Cup last year,
da, Jigra” (Heart and Courage). India Women’s Smriti Mandhana plays a shot during the Final match against Sri Lanka Wom- Australia defeated South Africa at
“At this stage, the only thing that
matters is Gurda, Jigra. Know your- en’s in Womens Asia Cup T20, 2024 (ANI file photo) home by 19 runs to win their sixth ti-
tle. Meanwhile, India made it to the
self, play as a unit, and give your best. semifinals, losing to the Aussies by
Results will follow. Don’t think about but Harmanpreet’s side bounced dia will begin their hunt for the cov- five runs.
the big picture; just take small steps back with two consecutive series wins eted title on Thursday against a stur-
with each match and focus on the against Bangladesh. dy-looking New Zealand side. INDIAN SQUAD: Harmanpreet Kaur
process. I hope if they follow these Harbhajan Singh believes Aus- Harbhajan shared his thoughts (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali
things, our team will perform very tralia will be the team India needs to on the four opponents in the group Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Ro-
well,” said the former ace spinner. be careful of in the ongoing Women’s stage and who Team India should be drigues, Richa Ghosh (WK), Yastika
In the lead-up to the T20 World T20 World Cup in Abu Dhabi. The most wary of and said while speaking Bhatia (WK), Pooja Vastrakar, Arund-
Cup, India has had mixed results. cricket extravaganza has begun with to Star Sports, “I think India needs to hati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Dayalan
They lost the T20I series against Aus- Bangladesh winning the tournament be very careful when playing against Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Ya-
tralia and England earlier this year, opener against Scotland in style. In- Australia. Looking at this group, dav, Shreyanka Patil, Sajana Sajeevan.

www.TheIndianEYE.com