Harmanpreet Kaur wins toss, India opts to bat against Pakistan in T20 WC opener
Birmingham, June 14
India Women's skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has won the toss and opted to bat against arch-rivals Pakistan in their ICC T20 World Cup clash on Sunday in Birmingham.
India, the reigning ODI world champions, is set to begin their Women's T20 World Cup campaign, and the fixture list has thrown up a blockbuster straightaway.
India Women finally ended their long run of bad luck at the toss, registering their first T20I toss win after eight consecutive losses and their first on English soil after 12 straight toss defeats dating back to 2022.
"We will bat first. I think it's a very good pitch to bat on, so we just thought, let's bat and set a decent total on the board. (Does winning a World Cup give them confidence?) Well, I think we are all very excited. The last World Cup definitely gave us a lot of confidence, and we just want to carry that confidence to this World Cup. (Have you been pleased with the build-up?) Yes, definitely. We have plugged a lot of areas, and now it's only about playing good cricket, and we are looking forward to that. Bharti's playing today. And yeah, Yastika did really well, but today we thought of going with Bharti. We are going with three spinners and two medium pacers," Kaur said during the toss.
"I think if we had won the toss, we were going to bat first as well because it looks like a batting track. (Do you feel as if the batting unit is looking good?) Yeah, I think as a team, we are doing great in the batting and the bowling as well. So we know we have a good bowling unit, so we just need to improve on the batting side, so we are good to go. (The approach of their bowlers on this surface) Yeah, obviously, it looks like a batting track, but still, we have a good bowling unit. We have a good, experienced bowling attack, so I think it will be a good contest. (Any key in or out for you for the team?) Yeah, we are going with Saira. She will be playing in the World Cup for the first time," Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana said.
Teams: India Women (Playing XI): Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Bharti Fulmali, Richa Ghosh(w), Deepti Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Shree Charani, Kranti Gaud. Pakistan Women (Playing XI): Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali(w), Ayesha Zafar, Saira Jabeen, Aliya Riaz, Natalia Pervaiz, Fatima Sana(c), Rameen Shamim, Nashra Sandhu, Tasmia Rubab, Sadia Iqbal.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting move to include Bharti Fulmali instead of Yastika. I hope the batting clicks—we've been a bit shaky at times. But with Deepti and Shreyanka in the bowling, we have a solid attack. Just need to post 160+ and defend it well. 🤞
Pakistan's captain Fatima Sana seems confident too. Saira Jabeen debuting in a World Cup against India—that's pressure! But honestly, India should dominate on paper. Let's see if we can translate that into performance on the field. No complacency, please!
Three spinners on a batting track? That's bold. But if Shreyanka and Deepti can exploit any turn, it could work. Also, hoping Jemimah finds some form—she's due for a big knock! All the best to the women in blue! 💙
Great to see women's cricket getting this kind of attention. The India-Pakistan rivalry adds extra spice. I hope the match is competitive—good pitches and quality cricket is what the World Cup should be about. Best of luck to both teams!
Respectful criticism: Why is Yastika being dropped after doing well? Bharti is talented, but consistency in selection matters. That said, I'm excited for the match! Let's hope the toss luck continues and we start the campaign with a win. 🏏🔥
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.