As the highly anticipated Women’s T20 World Cup draws near, former Indian cricketer Diana Edulji has shared her expert insights and hopes for the Indian team. The tournament, commencing on October 3, will witness 10 teams vying for the coveted trophy.
Edulji emphasized the pivotal role of openers Shefali Verma and Smriti Mandhana in India’s campaign. “The biggest bets are the two openers, Shefali and Smriti. They have to put a price on their wicket. The World Cup is fully dependent on them,” she stated.
Expressing high expectations for the team, Edulji urged them to seize the opportunity to bring the trophy home, emulating the success of the men’s team. She acknowledged the competitive nature of the tournament, highlighting Bangladesh’s impressive performance in the Asia Cup. “Bangladesh had an excellent Asia Cup campaign. We should play according to our strengths. It doesn’t matter that Australia has won six World Cups, they can lose too. We have to give our 100%,” she said.
Edulji identified spin bowling as one of India’s key strengths, praising Deepti Sharma’s consistent form and ability to strike in the final overs. She also mentioned the promising talent of Shreyanka Patil and emphasized the depth in India’s spin department. However, she pointed out the need to focus on pace bowling, mentioning Renuka Singh as a crucial player.
“Our strength is our spinners, Deepti Sharma has been in form since 2017, she will be important for us in the final overs. We also have Shreyanka Patil, so, we have plenty of spinners. We have got more than 5-6 bowlers, so there should not be any problem,” she added.
Edulji acknowledged the strength of other teams, including South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, England, Australia, and New Zealand, noting their consistent performance in international cricket. “This is an open world cup, South Africa looks strong, Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu is in good form, Bangladesh is causing upsets everywhere, England, Australia, and New Zealand are all looking good and they are playing cricket consistently,” she said.
She expressed confidence that the support staff have learnt from previous World Cups and will avoid past mistakes. Additionally, she appreciated the BCCI for providing ample facilities, with players gaining valuable experience in leagues like the Big Bash and The Hundred.
