In a largely monotonous and Sri Lankan-dominated captains’ joint-press convention in Dambulla, one line from India skipper stood out. When requested about her expectations as seven-time champions of the Ladies’s Asia Cup, Harmanpreet mentioned: “The problem will likely be to maintain doing the fitting issues we have now completed all through the historical past of this event. We need to preserve taking part in our type of cricket, benefit from the video games, and preserve dominating the opposite groups…”
There was no sense of over-confidence in her assertion, although. It simply pointed to the truth that the Ladies’s Asia Cup has been India’s area. Within the 8 editions of the event thus far, the one time they didn’t win was in 2018 after they misplaced a thriller towards Bangladesh within the closing. The final time the event was performed in Bangladesh, India’s journey to the title was largely easy… apart from a uncommon blip on this format towards Pakistan.
That’s the conflict that can kickstart their title defence on Friday. The age-old India-Pakistan rivalry will not be fairly the identical within the girls’s recreation. Fewer matches, a barely greater gulf in high quality. However the final two instances they met, the matches had been hard-fought. An all-round Nida Dar present powered Pakistan to a win in Sylhet within the final version of the event, whereas Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh bailed India out of bother on the T20 World Cup in Cape City final yr.
After all, the upcoming T20 World Cup would be the focus once more for the premier sides at this occasion, however Harmanpreet made it a degree to say that the Asia Cup is not only a costume rehearsal. It’s a event they need to win. Once more.
Dambulla: India Ladies captain Harmanpreet Kaur speaks throughout a press convention forward of the Ladies’s Asia Cup T20 event, in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, Thursday, July 18, 2024. (PTI Picture)
India come into the event on the again of a 1-1 tied T20I collection in Chennai towards South Africa, the place they had been pushed by the 2023 World Cup finalists. There have been positives aplenty, however just a few chinks had been additionally uncovered that Harmanpreet and head coach Amol Muzumdar should deal with.
Renuka’s kind
Whereas she produced a peach to dismiss South Africa’s star batter Laura Wolvaardt in Bengaluru through the latest ODIs, India’s premier pacer within the shorter format hasn’t precisely been in wealthy kind in latest instances. Whether or not rested or dropped, Renuka Singh Thakur missed India’s closing T20I towards the Proteas. It was extra evident that Pooja Vastrakar had maybe taken over because the lead pacer, when she starred with a four-wicket haul. Renuka, regardless of her points within the WPL over two seasons, has continuously delivered in India’s blues particularly together with her capacity to maneuver the ball again into batters within the powerplay.
However a touch of predictability has crept into her bowling (whereas she doesn’t add a lot heft on the sphere or with the bat) which may make India look extra at Arundhati Reddy. The make-up of the spin assault can be debate-worthy with Shreyanka Patil and Asha Sobhana evidently vying for a spot to accompany Deepti Sharma and Radha Yadav.
The No 3 spot within the batting lineup has additionally turn into a musical chairs scenario for India in latest instances. In what gave the impression to be a spot that Rodrigues had began to personal, Yastika Bhatia received one alternative in Bangladesh then D Hemalatha made a mark within the the rest of the collection, earlier than being ignored after the primary T20I towards South Africa. It’s a key place within the order and one to keep watch over as India finalise their squad for the World Cup.
The most important constructive for India going into the event, unquestionably, is Smriti Mandhana’s purple patch. She scored two centuries and a 90 towards South Africa in ODIs, a tremendous ton within the Check, a 46 and 54* within the T20Is. Her document in sluggish and low Asian circumstances have been a degree of concern previously, a stat that she considerably corrected with an excellent match-winning half-century within the final Asia Cup closing towards Sri Lanka.
All issues mentioned, India begin as favourites once more however the hole amongst Asian groups within the girls’s recreation has been lowering considerably in latest instances. Earlier than the World Cup, Harmanpreet’s aspect would look to keep away from any slip-ups whereas looking for to suit their closing items of the squad jigsaw.
India’s squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (WK), Uma Chetry (WK), Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Dayalan Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, Sajana Sajeevan
Travelling reserves: Shweta Sehrawat, Saika Ishaque, Tanuja Kanwer, Meghna Singh
India’s fixtures within the group stage:
vs Pakistan: July 19, 7 pm IST
vs UAE: July 21, 2 pm IST
vs Nepal: July 23, 7 pm IST