Through the pre-match press convention in Guwahati on Monday, forward of India’s ODI World Cup opener, captain Harmanpreet Kaur recalled the one ladies’s collection that was performed on the venue. “We performed in 2019, if I’m not improper. Three T20s right here. That point I wasn’t there as I used to be injured. However these had been day video games. Now we’re enjoying day and night time. I’m certain after so a few years, situations will need to have modified from what we performed that point. However as I discussed, as a result of we’ve got seen a lot cricket on TV, Indian situations all the time stay the identical. The one factor which we’ve got to bear in mind is the dew issue, due to the climate (very humid), and the lights will likely be on.”
And so, because the groups accomplished their warm-ups contained in the venue and made it out to the nets simply exterior the stadium’s entrance, bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi put these ideas into motion. After a brisk early burst from Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Goud and Radha Yadav, Salvi went across the follow space with a bottle of water in his hand, pouring it over the follow balls, then rolling them on the grass earlier than handing them again to his wards. It’s by no means simple to grip a moist ball late on in an precise high-pressure match if the dew units in, however India had been ensuring they had been ready.
Among the many batters, whereas a lot of the prime order acquired out and in of the common nets after good hits, Harmanpreet opted for one thing totally different. After getting into the follow space alongside head coach Amol Muzumdar a couple of minutes after the primary batters had are available, she walked throughout to the adjoining location, with no correct turf wicket, with out her pads and thigh guards on, simply with a pair of gloves. After a fast chat with Muzumdar, she began taking throwdowns from one of many specialists. And for practically an hour, she drove and flicked and lofted at full balls aimed toward her imaginary center and leg stumps.
Guwahati: India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur throughout a coaching session forward of the ICC Girls’s Cricket World Cup 2025 match between India and Sri Lanka, at ACA Stadium, Barsapara, in Guwahati, Monday, Sept. 29, 2025. (PTI Photograph/Swapan Mahapatra)
Within the latest previous, Harmanpreet has develop into an LBW candidate, out in that style 3 times this 12 months already. Her planted entrance foot, mixed with a bent to play throughout the road, has prompted her bother. So presumably, this drill was aimed toward enjoying textbook drives within the V to balls which are zoning in on her pads, with out the posh of the safety. And he or she nailed it shot after shot, initially specializing in groundstrokes earlier than taking the aerial route for just a few balls.
Whereas Harmanpreet has been guarded relating to the workforce combos earlier than the World Cup, Renuka Singh Thakur not bowling within the preliminary high-intensity a part of the session was maybe a sign that the pacer won’t be within the fray to function within the enjoying XI for the opener. Amanjot’s brisk tempo on her carefully-managed return from harm, together with Goud and Reddy bowling loads of deliveries, was one other pointer to the place India may be leaning.
Guwahati: Sri Lankan gamers throughout a coaching session forward of the ICC Girls’s Cricket World Cup 2025 match towards India, in Guwahati, Monday, Sept. 29, 2025. (PTI Photograph/Swapan Mahapatra)
Whereas India have loved a largely one-sided rivalry towards Sri Lanka (matches: 35, wins: 31, losses: 3), Chamari Athapaththu’s aspect did handle to win their penultimate assembly. Within the Tri-Collection earlier this 12 months in Colombo, Sri Lanka managed to efficiently chase down 276, and impressively, Athapaththu contributing solely 23 of these. It’s been one of many causes for Sri Lanka’s good ends in latest instances towards some prime groups, as they’re not solely depending on their talismanic captain.
“Some years again, all issues rely upon my shoulders, however not anymore, as a result of we’ve got good kids now,” Athapaththu mentioned on Monday. “So, they know how you can play the sport, they know how you can deal with the strain. Even in Asia Cup (final 12 months), I do my job, however the kids had been additionally doing theirs, that’s why we made the finals and that’s why we elevate the trophy (beating India). We now have good younger workforce, particularly Kavisha Dilhari, as an allrounder she’s doing rather well. And younger Harshitha and Vishmi Gunarathne, and in addition Imesha Dulani and Malki Madara, new quick bowler. I all the time informed them, hold it easy, play your recreation, don’t take an excessive amount of strain, play easy. I do know if they’re enjoying their finest cricket, we will make historical past.”
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Each Athapaththu and Harmanpreet expressed hope that in an Asian World Cup – with Sri Lanka internet hosting the match for the primary time ever – there could possibly be an Asian winner. The Sri Lankan skipper will likely be hoping to begin off with an enormous upset, however Harmanpreet’s aspect will fancy their possibilities of beginning on a profitable be aware.