Harmanpreet Kaur sends bold message as upbeat India sets sights on ICC Women's World Cup: 'We want to break that barrier'

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2 days ago

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and senior batters Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues were present at the ICC Women's World Cup trophy unveiling ceremony in Mumbai along with former captain Mithali Raj, legendary all-rounder Yuvraj Singh and ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta. read more
India women's captain Harmanpreet Kaur and senior opener Smriti Mandhana at an event in Mumbai marking the 50-day countdown to the ICC Women's World Cup. PTI
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur on Monday said her team is determined to end its ICC trophy drought during next month's ODI Women's World Cup and the preceding series against title favourites Australia will give the side a clear picture of where it stands.
India have never won a world title despite coming close on a few occasions including the 2017 ODI World Cup in England where they finished runners' up to capture the country's imagination.
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'We want to break that barrier which all Indians are waiting for. World Cups are always special, 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 in Mumbai at the trophy tour unveiling ceremony for the ODI World Cup.
Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, former captain Mithali Raj and Harmanpreet's teammates Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues were also part of the function.
India go into the Australia series at home, starting September 14, high on confidence after beating England in an away ODI and T20I series.
'Playing against Australia is always challenging and we get to know what our standing is. The series (three ODIs vs Australia) will give us a lot of confidence. We have been putting a lot of effort in our training camps and the results are showing,' said Harmanpreet.
Her match-winning 171 in the semifinal against Australia back in 2017 remains fresh in Harmanpreet's mind.
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'That knock was something really special to me and the entire women's cricket. A lot of things changed for me after that knock. When we came back to India, even though we had lost, a lot of people were waiting and cheering for us. I still get goosebumps,' she added.
Yuvraj said players will have to individually believe that they can win matches for the country.
'(I would say) play the situation and not the expectation and be in the moment,' he said.
'It's a great opportunity to create history. But that doesn't mean that from the start point you are thinking of winning it. You have to experience the whole enigma of it. You have to feel that you have put in the process and results will come.'
The multiple World Cup-winner advised the players to keep faith in their experience.
'But if you want to win the World Cup, you will be in pressure, things won't go well and that's when experience and self-belief has to take over. You have to believe that you want to win the game for your country (on) that day,' added Yuvraj, India's player of the tournament in the 2011 World Cup.
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Both Rodrigues and Mandhana noted that there has been a significant change in the team's attitude when it comes to preparations.
'A lot has changed with my preparation and mindset. I want to have a lot of confidence coming from my preparation and that gives me clarity,' said Rodrigues.
Mandhana said, 'Our whole team is heading into the direction where we know we have to put in a lot of hard work off the field and when we go on it, it's a reaction. That's been a massive change for the team as well as personally,'
Mithali said the 2017 World Cup was the turning point for women's cricket.
'The 2017 World Cup actually transformed women's cricket not just in India but globally I would say, because social media was relatively new (and) the ICC did their part in promoting and campaigning on a larger scale,' she said.
The ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta said this World Cup, starting on September 30, could be the springboard for the next leap for women's cricket.
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'There is a larger picture here which has to do with what this means to the country. The growth of women's cricket in many ways is a reflection of the country's progress,' said Gupta.
'It normalises women occupying spaces which were traditionally occupied by men. It normalises women being outdoors. It also creates an opportunity for both men and women to come out and support Team India, not just the men in blue but the women in blue.'
Gupta continued, 'In every sense, the growth of women's cricket over the last eight years has brought up to this moment where it is time for women's cricket to take the next leap. This World Cup can be the springboard for that next leap.'