Mumbai: India captain Harmanpreet Kaur on Monday expressed her team’s determination to end its long wait for an ICC trophy at the upcoming Women’s ODI World Cup, starting September 30 at home. She believes the preceding home series against title favourites Australia will be a true test of the team’s readiness.
Despite coming close in the past—including finishing runners-up at the 2017 ODI World Cup in England—India have yet to lift a world title. “We want to break that barrier which all Indians are waiting for. World Cups are always special, and I always want to do something special for my country. Whenever I see Yuvi bhaiya (Yuvraj Singh), it gives me a lot of motivation,” Harmanpreet said at the trophy unveiling ceremony, which was also attended by former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh and her teammates.
India head into the three-match ODI series against Australia, beginning September 14, in high spirits after recent series wins over England in both ODI and T20 formats. “Playing against Australia is always challenging and shows us where we stand. This series will give us a lot of confidence. We’ve been putting in tremendous effort in training camps, and the results are visible,” she said.
Harmanpreet’s unforgettable 171 in the 2017 semifinal against Australia remains a career-defining moment. “That knock was very special for me and for women’s cricket. It changed a lot for me. When we came back to India, even though we lost the final, people were waiting and cheering for us. I still get goosebumps,” she recalled.
