Harmanpreet Kaur bullish on India’s chances of wining the World Cup, says ‘This time we will cross the line’.
Harmanpreet: ‘This time we will cross the line’.
2024 Asia Cup. 2022 Commonwealth Games. 2020 T20 World Cup. India Women lost in the championship match at each of those competitions. But skipper Harmanpreet Kaur is certain that “this time we will cross the line” as they prepare to co-host the 2025 ODI World Cup.
“No doubt we have been through these situations many times,” Harmanpreet said at the captains’ meet in Bengaluru. “We have been playing good cricket, and it’s only about going with good confidence and doing the things the way our team is expecting from us. At the same time, we have been only talking about enjoying this moment rather than thinking [about] what happened in the past. We have learned a lot from our mistakes, and hopefully, this time, we will be on the other side.”
Although it would be Harmanpreet’s first time as captain, this will be his fifth ODI World Cup. She said it was “unbelievable” to be leading India at a home World Cup, but she doesn’t want her team to face “too much pressure” as they aim for their first championship.
“Leading your country is always very special for any player, but leading your country in [an] ODI World Cup is even more special,” she said. “On top of that, it is a home World Cup, so it’s even more special. When I started playing, I never even thought I would get the opportunity to lead my country… it was only in a dream. Everything altogether is exciting.
“I just want to go there and enjoy, and play my best cricket. That’s what I’ve been telling myself and my team. The ODI World Cup is happening [in India] after 12 years, and I think it is going to be very amazing for all of us. It’s all about not taking too much pressure.”
“She has been great,” Harmanpreet said of Mandhana. “The way she is batting nowadays is something really exciting to watch. When I’m batting with her, things become quite easy on the pitch. You don’t need to stress so much because she is always there to help. Having her in my team is a big strength.”
India will only go to Colombo to play Pakistan in the group stage. They perform in Guwahati, Navi Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, and Indore at home. The only one of those venues to hold a women’s ODI before was Visakhapatnam in 2014. Harmanpreet, meanwhile, isn’t very concerned about the conditions’ unfamiliarity.
“The wickets are going to be flat,” she said. “We will get a few practice sessions there to get used to the conditions and the pitches. It’s really about being in a good space. Even though this World Cup is in India, we are not very familiar with the stadiums we are going to play at. But we have enough data to see how the conditions and the pitch are.”