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The ICC T20 Women's World Cup kicks off on October 3rd with Team India's campaign beginning on October 4th with a match against New Zealand, followed by a highly anticipated clash with Pakistan on October 6th, and a face-off against Sri Lanka on October 9th. They will then take on Australia on October 13th.
Ahead of the tournament, Indian women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur, in an exclusive interview with Star Sports, provided key insights into the team's preparations, the diversity within the squad, their emphasis on mental toughness, and her own inspiring journey in cricket.
Speaking exclusively on Star Sports, Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur spoke about how diversity in the Indian cricket team’s dressing room fosters a positive atmosphere. She mentioned, "All the players in our team come from different states. It feels good when you see so many different characters in the team. People from various states share the dressing room, and you get to learn about their cultures. I think you can only experience that in sports, not in any other career. It’s a beautiful feeling. All the girls in the team are really nice and humble. It feels great to share the dressing room with them and play cricket together."
We have been working on mental strength for a long time: Harmanpreet Kaur
Harmanpreet also discussed India's mental toughness preparations ahead of the upcoming Women's World Cup. She said, "We have been working on mental strength for a long time. The last 3-4 overs are the most crucial. T20 cricket is not a small format; at the end of the day, you are playing 40 overs. In the last 4-5 overs, the team that is mentally strong wins the match. We have been focusing on this for a while. If we can remain mentally stable in those final 5 overs, we can execute what’s best for us. We are working on those aspects, and hopefully, we will overcome this hurdle in the tournament."
Harmanpreet Kaur also reflected on her journey and touched upon the mentality of choosing sports as a career. She said, "It has been a beautiful journey. I come from a city where there was no cricket, and playing cricket professionally was not easy for me. But my family supported me a lot, and today, when I look back, it feels good. A lot of people appreciate it. Obviously, a lot of girls are joining cricket—not just cricket, but other sports as well. At the same time, parents are taking sports seriously. When I started, no one saw sports as a career. But now, parents want their kids to play well and choose sports as a career. The way parents think has changed, and it feels good to see that. In the past, only a few parents encouraged their kids in sports, but now, regardless of what they do, parents take pride if their child excels in sports. I think that’s a big change."
(With Inputs from Press Release)
