Photo Credit: ICC
India head coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar has no interest in playing down the magnitude of his side’s latest duel with Pakistan.
Few matches in sport set pulses raising more than this and the Group B tussle promises to the set the tone for the tournament in South Africa.
Runners-up at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020, India are hoping to go one better this time round.
Kanitkar knows all too well the significance of this fixture, having hit the winning runs for India against Pakistan in the Independence Cup final in 1998, and he says that his side need no further motivation ahead of their tournament opener.
“The team is really looking forward to it and I don’t blame them,” said Kanitkar.
“When you are growing up you want to play in World Cups and play against strong teams and arch-rivals.
“These are all things you look forward to doing. Most of our team have played against Pakistan in the past, so they know what to expect and what the atmosphere is like.
“It’s also one of the privileges of playing international cricket that you can play matches like this.
“Everyone is up for it and everyone is looking forward to it. We feel we are totally prepared for whatever happens and we have a good, confident team.”
India will however be without star batter Smriti Mandhana, who has been ruled out with a finger injury, though Kanitkar said that she is likely to be available for India’s second fixture against the West Indies on Wednesday.
Injuries are bound to be a factor throughout the tournament, and one player who Kanitkar believes will shine if given the opportunity is Richa Ghosh, who starred with the bat and gloves during India’s success at the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2023.
“She’s an exciting prospect and I think she has a good future in front of her,” said Kanitkar.
“She continues to work hard, so if all goes well and she maintains the right attitude, the sky’s the limit for her.”
One player who knows how to deal with the big occasion is Pakistan captain, Bismah Maroof, who became the all-time leading run scorer for her country in both ODI and T20I formats last summer.
Bismah played down the significance of the occasion and insists that the Women in Green see this fixture as the first step on the road to the final.
“We don’t see the social media, the news, we try to not see such stuff and instead to be in the present moment with our team and enjoy it as a group,” she said.
“I think it’s key that we do that. It’s important to realise the players we have and how they can impact the game individually, and we’ll be backing ourselves.
“Our spinning department is always a strength, so we like to back them and hopefully put up a good show.
“They are a very good side but we will try to play to our strengths.”
