Ahead of the Women's T20 World Cup, which starts on 3rd October, speaking exclusively on Star Sports' "Follow the Blues”, former member of Indian women cricket team, Poonam Yadav shared her insights on the team's combination and the potential of the pacers and spinners for the upcoming tournament. She said, "If the dew factor becomes significant, Captain Harmanpreet Kaur may opt for a team combination that includes one or two spinners. While she has shown confidence in the pacers, given the pitch's bounce, she may also consider using Asha Shobana, a wrist-spinner. Wrist spinners can turn the ball on any type of track, and their pace is generally slower. Deepti Sharma will undoubtedly play a key role in leading India's bowling attack. It's possible that both Deepti Sharma and Asha Shobana could be included in the playing eleven. However, given Harmanpreet Kaur's preference for pacers, it’s likely she will primarily rely on them."
Australia and India from our group will advance to the next stage; feels Poonam Yadav
Speaking exclusively on Star Sports' "Follow the Blues, Poonam Yadav shared her opinion on the team group India is part of in the Women's T20 World Cup tournament. She said, "I think Australia and India from our group will advance to the next stage, with Australia being a formidable opponent. 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. Sri Lanka will also be eager to defeat India again, though India has a history of success against them at the World Cup level. The match against Pakistan will be intriguing, but I am confident we will win. 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. 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."
Poonam Yadav also shared her thoughts on the potential of the Indian women's cricket team. She said, "Coach Amol Mazumdar has focused extensively on improving the team's fielding and fitness. He also organized a 10-day skill camp. I believe things are improving, and all the girls in the camp have been working hard. When you're part of such a camp, you gain clarity about your playing position, who plays a key role at which position, and where you should be bowling. It helps rectify mistakes, ensuring you don’t repeat them in the World Cup. I'm confident Team India will win the World Cup."
(With Inputs from Press Release)