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Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur remained optimistic that India can grab their maiden global title in the upcoming ICC Women's T20 World Cup, and said conditions in the UAE could work to their advantage.
The International Cricket Council has recently shifted the showpiece, to be held between October 3 and 20, to Bangladesh owing to the political unrest in that nation.
“Whenever we play on this kind of stage (World Cup), we always want to do well. We have always done well in the past as well, and hopefully, this time we will break that final barrier and go all the way,” Harmanpreet told PTI videos.
Harmanpreet was on Tuesday appointed as the captain of the Indian team for the T20 World Cup.
The 35-year-old did not read too much into the venue shift, and said the conditions in the UAE are quite similar to India.
“We have not played much cricket in the UAE. But the conditions in the UAE are going to be similar to Indian conditions.
“We will see how the conditions play out (there) and try to adjust ourselves to the conditions as soon as possible,” said Harmanpreet, who led India to the final of the 2020 T20 World Cup.
Irrespective of the playing conditions, she wanted the team to dish out a “positive” game in the World Cup.
“As a team, we learn from our defeats and break those barriers that are pushing us back. Hopefully this time we can express ourselves in a more positive way in the World Cup,” she said.
Harmanpreet also backed the Indian bowlers, who floundered in the recent Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka, to deliver in the World Cup.
“The bowlers are working really hard as a team and, hopefully, in this World Cup we tick all the boxes.”
Harmanpreet, who led Mumbai Indians to WPL victory last year, said the key to winning the World Cup will be to keep themselves in the present.
“It is always important for us to play good cricket, keeping ourselves in the present. Whatever the situation is in front of us…we go there and evaluate (it) as soon as possible,” she signed off.
India to face West Indies, South Africa in Women's T20 World Cup warm-up matches
India will take on West Indies and South Africa in their two Women's T20 World Cup warm-up fixtures in Dubai, the International Cricket Council announced on Tuesday.
India will take on West Indies on September 29 while Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. are slated to play South Africa on October 1.
All 10 teams that have qualified for the Women's T20 World Cup will participate in the practice games, with every side playing two warm-up games each.
The warm-up fixtures will start on September 28 with Pakistan taking on Scotland and Sri Lanka facing Bangladesh.
Defending champion Australia will face arch-rival England on September 29, followed by West Indies on October 1 in Dubai.
The warm-up fixtures will be 20 overs per side and will not have international T20 status, allowing teams to field all members of their 15-player squad.
No two sides who belong to the same group will take on each other in the warm-up round.
India has been clubbed in group A alongside Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka while group B comprises England, South Africa, West Indies, Scotland and Bangladesh.
The competition, starting October 3, was moved to the UAE by the ICC following the ongoing political unrest in Bangladesh, the original host.
Warm-up fixtures:
September 28: Pakistan v Scotland (Sevens, Dubai)
September 28: Sri Lanka v Bangladesh (ICCA1, Dubai)
September 29: New Zealand v South Africa (Sevens, Dubai)
September 29: India v West Indies (ICCA2, Dubai)
September 29: Australia v England (ICCA1, Dubai)
September 30: Sri Lanka v Scotland (Sevens, Dubai)
September 30: Bangladesh v Pakistan (ICCA2, Dubai)
October 1: West Indies v Australia (Sevens, Dubai)
October 1: England v New Zealand (ICCA2, Dubai)
October 1: South Africa v India (ICCA1, Dubai)