ICC Women's T20 WC 2020: Harmanpreet backs India's spin heavy attack to do well in T20 World Cup

India announced the 15-member squad for the marquee tournament on Sunday.

Kaur and her team will be hoping to bring the glory to the nation | Getty

Even though the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 will be held in Australia, India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur on Sunday (January 12) said that spinners have been her side’s strength in bowling and it wouldn’t change much on the bouncy tracks down under.

Harmanpreet’s comments came after India announced the 15-member squad for the marquee tournament. Veteran left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad returned to the shortest format to bolster the spin attack. Familiar names like Mansi Joshi and Anuja Patil missed out on selection while the squad features just three regular pacers.

See Also: Harmanpreet Kaur thanks Jemimah Rodrigues and Harleen Deol for special rap tribute

“We are looking for more spinners in our side and we have got that. Now the only thing is how we are going to use their strengths. They are very good and always give us breakthroughs,” Harmanpreet was quoted as saying by PTI. “Our strength is spin and we have to stick to that and whenever we need them they will perform for us.

The squad also includes teen batting sensation Shafali Verma and Bengal’s rookie batswoman Richa Gosh.

Shafali has been outstanding in her debut season at the highest level while uncapped Richa seems to have impressed the selectors with her stellar showing in the recent women’s Challenger Trophy.

“See, in the past one year, we have taken five to six debutants,” chairman of women’s selection committee Hemlatha Kala told reporters at the press conference. “Earlier, the same team used to play but after the 2017 ODI World Cup, a lot of new prospects have emerged. We feel we have nurtured five or six new players, who are playing now. Richa Ghosh is a new player and here the role of selectors increases.”

A 16-member touring party was also announced for a T20I tri-series, including England and hosts Australia, that will enable Kaur and her team's final preparation for the mega event. The tri-series will be played from January 31 to February 12.

“Before the World Cup, this series is going to be a big one for us and we will look for our best combination and with that, we will give chances to newcomer also,” Harmanpreet said. “As (Hemlata) ma’am mentioned, we have Richa, who did well in the Challenger Trophy and domestic cricket, so we will stick to our best XI. Before the World Cup, we will be able to decide our best XI.”

Having featured in the Women’s Big Bash League for Sydney Thunder, Harmanpreet has a fair bit of idea about Australian conditions and pitches.

“I think that experience will definitely help and we know how the wickets are over there and that definitely gives us extra boost (over) there,” said the T20I skipper.

She acknowledged that 2019 wasn’t good for them for the major part but they gelled as a unit by the end of the year.

“See, it is always about how you execute yourself. We did not execute on what we were expecting from ourselves (in the first half in 2019). But against South Africa and West Indies, we played to our potential and that is the reason we were able to get positive result(s),” Kaur said.

India’s T20 World Cup Squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodriguez, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Veda Krishnamurthy, Richa Ghosh, Tania Bhatia, Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav, Rajeshwari Gaikwad, Shikha Pandey, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy.

Tri-Series (16 member) squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodriguez, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Veda Krishnamurthy, Richa Ghosh, Tania Bhatia, Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav, Rajeshwari Gaikwad, Shikha Pandey, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Nuzhat Parveen

(With PTI inputs)

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 13 Jan, 2020

    Share Via