"Dream come true": Harmanpreet Kaur on potential Lord's T20 World Cup glory
Chelmsford, May 27
India women's captain Harmanpreet Kaur has said that winning the ICC Women's T20 World Cup at Lord's would represent a "dream come true" and a full-circle moment in her career, as she reflected on making her T20 international debut in England during the 2009 T20 World Cup.
The Women in Blue will take on England in a three-match T20I series before beginning their World Cup campaign on June 14. The opening fixture between India and England will be held at the County Ground in Chelmsford.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of the opening T20I against England on Thursday, Harmanpreet said returning to the same country for a potential World Cup triumph would be a special milestone.
"Yeah, definitely. I think it will be a dream come true for any cricketer who got their debut in England and then won the World Cup in England. I can't ask anything else for myself and from God. It's about keeping ourselves in a positive frame and doing the right things again and again because consistency always gives results. It's about going there, expressing ourselves and enjoying each moment on the field," she said.
The India skipper also highlighted how the team's recent ODI World Cup success has boosted confidence ahead of the T20 World Cup.
"Winning the World Cup gave us a lot of confidence. That confidence will carry over to this T20 World Cup. We now know how to win and perform under pressure. Those experiences will give us confidence playing this World Cup," Harmanpreet said.
She further underlined the importance of the ongoing series against England as crucial preparation for the global tournament.
"Any series before a World Cup is very important. It's good that we are getting these conditions before the tournament so that we can get used to it. Playing against England is always challenging. We love playing in English conditions. Hopefully, this series will give us everything we need and a lot of confidence going into the T20 World Cup," she added.
The high-voltage series between the two countries is expected to serve as a key preparatory stage for India as they fine-tune their combinations ahead of the upcoming ICC tournament in June.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I hope the team does well, but I'm a bit skeptical. Our women's team has been inconsistent in T20 tournaments. The ODI World Cup win was great, but T20 is a different ball game. Need to sort out the middle-order batting and death bowling. Let's hope they prove me wrong!
Harmanpreet is a legend, no doubt. But it's not just about her—this is a team effort. Players like Smriti, Deepti, and Richa need to step up. The series against England is crucial for momentum. Come on India, bring the cup home! 🙌
As an English cricket fan, I have massive respect for Harmanpreet. She's one of the most destructive batters in women's cricket. This India squad looks strong, and it would be brilliant to see them win at Lord's. Best of luck to both teams for a great series ahead!
I absolutely love how Harmanpreet leads with such confidence. The way she talks about the team's mindset is exactly what we need. Consistency and expression on the field—that's the mantra. If they play fearless cricket like they have in the past, no one can stop them. ✨
Good to see the team getting early preparation in English conditions. The pitch at Lord's usually has bounce and carry, which suits our pacers if they bowl disciplined lengths. But our spinners will be key—they need to exploit the turn. Let's hope for a memorable tournament! 🏏
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