Dubai [UAE], October 4 : As India prepares for the Women's T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, Shafali Verma highlighted the leadership and influence of Harmanpreet Kaur, the captain of the Indian Women's Cricket team.
Shared her thoughts with Star Sports ahead of their opening match against New Zealand on Friday Verma said, "Harmanpreet is very passionate about the game. Winning the World Cup has always been a dream for her, and I hope we can make that dream come true. She's a great player, a great teammate, and a fantastic captain who inspires and motivates us all the time."
Reflecting on her debut at the age of 16 during the 2020 Women's World Cup, Verma expressed her fond memories of the tournament.
"I really enjoyed my first World Cup experience. It was a big deal for me to debut at 16, and I loved being in Australia. It wasn't just the cricket; I also enjoyed exploring the country. The tournament was special, and I performed well for the team. Thinking back to that World Cup always brings a smile to my face. We were so close to winning, but hopefully, we can change that this time around," she said as quoted by Star Sports.
With these sentiments, Verma and the Indian team are poised to give their best in the upcoming tournament, drawing inspiration from their past experiences and the leadership of Kaur.
The Women in Blue, who reached the semi-finals in the previous edition, are placed in Group A of the competition alongside Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
The No.3-ranked side in the world (India) take on the No.4-ranked New Zealand in what will prove critical to both teams' hopes of reaching the knockout stages.
India looked to be in good touch during the warm-up matches as they registered impressive victories over the West Indies and South Africa, while New Zealand split their games against the Proteas (win) and England (loss).
Both teams boast a strong top-order, with the likes of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma from India matched by Kiwi counterparts Suzie Bates and Amelia Kerr.
India boast plenty of depth in their batting line-up, and both teams have some good bowling options, with spin likely to play a major part in deciding who comes out on top.