India scheduled to play only one ODI series against New Zealand before the mega event.
Indian women’s ODI captain Mithali Raj has asserted that the team has had good preparation so far for the upcoming ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022 in New Zealand.
The ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022 is scheduled to be held in New Zealand in March and April 2022. Notably, the ODI World Cup was originally scheduled for February 6–7, 2021, but it was postponed by one year due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
This year, Indian women hosted South Africa for a five-match ODI series before playing a three-match ODI series each against powerhouses England and Australia.
However, India lost all three ODI series but gave a really tough time to the host Australia and ended their 26-match winning streak by defeating them in the third ODI by 2 wickets in Mackay.
Well, India is now scheduled to play only one ODI series against New Zealand leading up to the World Cup 2022 early next year, but the skipper feels her team is getting the best preparation possible for the mega event, having played top teams before the tournament.
Mithali said, “We have played 3 best teams since March and it has given us good preparation. Players have played domestic cricket and also in the Women’s Big Bash so they are getting game time which is the most important thing. We are getting to play in New Zealand before World Cup which is also good.”
Earlier, India was unable to post 250-plus scores regularly, but did that twice in Australia and even chased down 265 in the final ODI and Mithali said the team needs to do that consistently.
She further added, “When you play against a strong team in its backyard you try to give your best. Though we lost the series, the matches were very close. We scored 270 and chased 270 odd, if we can do that consistently we will be among the best sides in world cricket.”
India's middle-order has been a concern in the last few years but Mithali said all departments must fire as a unit if want to win the World Cup 2022 in New Zealand next year.
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She added, “We bat as a unit so you can’t pinpoint one area. There are times when the top order failed and the others performed. As a unit, if we look to post a good total then it will help. If we focus on one area like middle order then it becomes too much of a burden for that particular slot.”
India finished runners-up in the 2017 World Cup in England when not many expected them to, but expectations will be higher this time, said the Indian skipper.
Mithali signed off by saying, “There were not enough expectations back then. Now in 2021 players have got experience and got a lot of exposure with the T20 leagues. Overall we have young players but they have got enough exposure. It is just of matter of gelling well as a team. Every match will be different there. The quicker we read our opponents the better it will be for us.”
(With PTI Inputs)