New Delhi [India], September 25 : In an exclusive interview on Star Sports' "Follow the Blues," Indian women's cricketer Poonam Yadav provided her analysis of Team India's group in the upcoming Women's T20 World Cup. Yadav emphasized the formidable challenge posed by Australia, while expressing confidence in India's potential to advance.
"I think Australia and India from our group will advance to the next stage, with Australia being a formidable opponent," said Yadav, while speaking to Star Sports.
"India's performance in T20Is over the past two years has been impressive, with strong batting, bowling, and fielding. The team combination looks excellent, but Australia will undoubtedly pose a significant challenge," she added.
She also highlighted the determination of other teams in the group, particularly Sri Lanka.
"Sri Lanka will also be eager to defeat India again, though India has a history of success against them at the World Cup level," Poonam said.
Yadav expressed confidence in India's ability to win against Pakistan, noting the historical significance and intensity of the matchup.
"The match against Pakistan will be intriguing, but I am confident we will win," she said.
Reflecting on past encounters, Yadav mentioned, "As for New Zealand, we played them in the same pool in 2018, and we defeated all the teams except Sri Lanka. Although we lost in the semi-finals, I believe our current team combination, positive environment, and Shafali Verma's crucial role will help us succeed."
Praising Shafali Verma's impact, Yadav remarked, "Her ability to quickly score 60-70 runs in the first six overs can put the opposition on the back foot, and I hope she continues to play this role."
With a balanced team and strategic strengths, Poonam Yadav remains optimistic about India's prospects in the Women's T20 World Cup, despite the anticipated challenges from formidable opponents like Australia.