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India Women are all set to begin their 2024 Women's T20 World Cup campaign against New Zealand on Friday (October 4) in Dubai. The showpiece event will see the participation of 10 teams and will run until October 17.
The Women in Blue have been one of the most successful teams in the tournament's history. They have progressed to the knockout stage on five out of eight occasions while emerging as runner-ups in the 2020 edition. In 2023, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side lost by five runs against Australia in the semi-final.
Ahead of the 2024 edition, India have secured wins in both warm-up games. They prevailed over South Africa and the West Indies and will look to come up with potent performances in the league stage.
On that note, let's take a look at those three players who can help the Indian team in lifting their maiden Women's T20 World Cup title.
#1 Shafali Verma
Making her India debut at the age of 15 in 2019, Shafali Verma has been one of the standout Indian cricketers in recent years. She left an impact by scoring the most runs (163) for India in the 2020 Women's T20 World Cup.
In 81 T20Is, Shafali has garnered 1,948 runs at an average of 25.63, with 10 fifties to her name. In the Asia Cup held this year, she top-scored for the Indian team with 200 runs in five innings.
Meanwhile, the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2024 saw her garner 309 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of over 150.
With the capability to hit big sixes and a track record of providing explosive starts, Shafali Verma is the most important batter in the Indian team. Her knocks usually set the tone for India in their pursuit of a strong total on the board.
#2 Deepti Sharma
Decorated all-rounder Deepti Sharma is one of the consistent contributors in the shortest format. With 131 wickets in 117 games, she is third on the list of highest wicket-takers in the T20Is.
Deepti emerged as the finest bowler in 2024 Asia Cup with 10 wickets in five appearances. The Women's Premier League saw her slam 295 runs and take 10 wickets for the UP Warriorz.
Moreover, the 27-year-old played a key role in the London Spirit's victory in The Women's Hundred 2024. In eight appearances, she garnered 212 runs and picked up eight wickets while also hitting a winning six in the final.
Over the last few years, Deepti Sharma has secured consistent breakthroughs for her sides in crunch moments and helped them end their innings with a flourish. Hence, she will be one of the crucial players for India in the showpiece event.
#3 Jemimah Rodrigues
Reliable batter Jemimah Rodrigues has been a ray of hope in the Indian middle order. Her ability to soak up the pressure and put the team back on track is praiseworthy.
The evidence of the above claim was witnessed in India's Women's T20 World Cup warm-up games. After the failure of the top-order batters, she returned with knocks of 52 & 30, which eventually helped the Indian team to win both games.
Overall, Jemimah has garnered over 2,000 runs in 100 T20Is at an average of 30.50, with 11 fifties to her name. The 24-year-old will look to hold the batting unit together in the ICC event and help India post a strong total on the board.
