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India begin their 2024 Women's T20 World Cup campaign against New Zealand on Friday, October 4, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium at 7:30 PM IST. All eyes will be on India as they kick-start their run in this tournament against the White Ferns.
India have been agonizingly close to winning the Women's T20 Cup before and will be looking forward to making an impressive start here. A victory against New Zealand would not only boost their confidence but also set the tone for the rest of the tournament ahead.
Meanwhile, New Zealand, among the top contenders, will also be keen to start well but they face a stern test against Harmanpreet and Co. first up. With this clash set to be a crucial one with high stakes for both teams, here are three big things to watch out for as the action unfolds.
#3 India’s fielding performance
Fielding has been a sore point for the Women in Blue in recent games and their ability to field effectively will be critically watched in this tournament. During practice sessions, players like skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, Shafali Verma, and Jemimah Rodrigues impressed with their skills.
However, there were also several catches that went down. Adjusting to floodlights seemed to be a challenge as players misjudged the ball on several occasions.
The Indian team's fielding has faced criticism in the past as well, particularly in big games such as the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka and in warm-up games before the World Cup. With this opening fixture being an important one, the squad will need to better their fielding and hold on to every opportunity that comes their way on the field.
#2 Should Sophie Devine open the innings or not?
New Zealand's decision surrounding Sophie Devine has been another topic for debate and a key thing to watch out for in this contest. Devine, who has traditionally been an opener, has been shifted to the middle order to utilize her batting skills and experience in order to finish games better.
On the flip side though, New Zealand's performance has faltered, with them facing 13 T20I losses in recent times. In her last T20I, Devine batted at No. 4 and has opened only once since February of last year.
With the pressure being on their batting lineup, the question that arises is - would they be better served with Devine at the top? The 20-year-old Georgia Plimmer has struggled to fill in on the opening role alongside Suzie Bates. It remains to be seen what order they decide to go with against a formidable Indian side.
#1 Harmanpreet Kaur batting at No. 3
The Indian team’s captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, stepping up to bat at No. 3 has been a topic of much discussion. In warm-up matches against South Africa and the West Indies, she scored a modest 10 runs off 11 balls and just one run off three balls. The No. 3 spot has posed challenges for India, causing concern more often than not.
Despite these recent performances, Harmanpreet’s experience remains invaluable. Out of the 173 T20Is she has played, she has batted at No. 3 in only 18 of them, accumulating 298 runs at an average of 21.28.
With the pressure of leading the team in a World Cup opener, how she handles this key batting position will be interesting to see. A solid performance could provide the foundation for the rest of the batting lineup, infusing much-needed confidence as well.
