A stellar effort by senior stars would be mandatory when India take on New Zealand in their opening Group A match of the women’s T20 World Cup here on Friday, aiming for a strong start in their quest to wipe off the memories of past near-misses.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who in all likelihood, will be appearing in her last T20 World Cup , has been witness to several near misses and disappointing moments from close quarters, including India’s capitulation to Australia in the final at Melbourne in 2020.
As a has been in the past, this Indian line-up is rich in talent and, arguably, only Australia have a similarly well-oiled unit.
But the reigning champions have six titles in their cabinet, and India’s is still dust-laden.
So, what pegs India back in global events? It seems more a case of mental fragility at clutch moments, and the Women in Blue tried to address that during a preparatory camp at the NCA (National Cricket Academy) with a few counselling sessions.
But such external measures can only be of limited help in big tournaments, as it boils down entirely to flawless execution of strategies on a given day.
In that context, India will not get a better opponent than New Zealand, which is not a fancied side like its Trans-Tasman neighbour. But the two-time runners-up are as tough as nails.
A victory against them could well be counted as a sign of being in fine shape –tactically and mentally — and that’s a pre-requisite for India in a group that also has Australia, Sri Lanka and Pakistan .
