Harmanpreet Kaur ready to lead India with ‘bat and ball’ in T20 World Cup, confirms coach Amol Muzumdar

As the Indian women’s cricket team prepares for their opening match against New Zealand in the 2024 T20 World Cup, head coach Amol Muzumdar has expressed confidence in their final team composition. In a pre-match press conference, Muzumdar shared key insights into the team’s strategy, notably confirming Harmanpreet Kaur’s position at number three in the batting line-up.

Harmanpreet Kaur to anchor at Number Three

One of the most significant changes in the Indian line-up for this tournament is the decision to move captain Harmanpreet Kaur to bat at number three. While Jemimah Rodrigues typically occupies this spot, she will now move down to number five. Amol Muzumdar explained that after several trials with players like Yastika Bhatia and Dayalan Hemalatha in the position, the team is confident that Harmanpreet will excel.

“Absolutely, not just the warm-up games, but we had already decided back in India and in the camps that happened before we set off from Mumbai. We had a lovely camp in Bangalore, and we decided there. Basically, these pre-World Cup matches absolutely stamped that for us,” Amol Muzumdar revealed during the pre-match press conference.

Focus on Bowling Depth and Flexibility

While the Indian team is strong on batting, concerns were raised about the lack of a consistent sixth bowling option. Harmanpreet Kaur, who used to contribute as an off-spinner, hasn’t bowled in T20 matches for a while. Addressing this, Muzumdar stressed that they’ve been working on ensuring more bowlers in the top six players.

“We’ve paid a lot of attention to the sixth bowling option. At least three to four [players] have to bowl. If we can get those overs out of them, then nothing like it,” he remarked, adding that Harmanpreet has been practicing bowling again and could fill in as needed.

Fielding and Fitness Take centre Stage

Amol Muzumdar emphasised that fielding and fitness have been two core areas of focus for the team in their preparation for the tournament. He believes fans will see significant improvements in these areas as the tournament progresses.

“Fielding and fitness would be of prime importance. We have worked upon it, thoroughly gone deeper into it, and tried to absolutely work individually,” Majumdar stated. He noted that the team has paid special attention to each player’s fitness and fielding drills, hoping to raise overall performance standards.

Impact of WPL on Team Selection

The introduction of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) has been a major influence on the Indian women’s cricket scene. Several breakout stars from the WPL, such as Sajeevan Sajana, Shreyanka Patil, and Asha Sobhana, have made their way into India’s World Cup squad.

“WPL has been a very successful tournament so far in the last couple of editions. You have seen what response WPL has had. Obviously, the stats have helped, and we have dug into a lot of statistics and seen the results,” said Muzumdar. He credited the WPL for helping the team identify young talent and creating a strong player base for the national side.

Positive Outlook Ahead of the Tournament

Despite the challenges, Muzumdar believes the Indian team has finally found the right balance and is ready for the tournament. “We have figured out the right combination that we are going to play tomorrow,” he concluded, sharing his optimism for the upcoming matches.

With this newfound confidence, the Indian women’s cricket team will look to start their T20 World Cup campaign with a victory against New Zealand, driven by a combination of experience, youth, and the lessons learned from the WPL.