Pooja Vastrakar urges India to build on 2025 ODI World Cup triumph ahead of 2026 T20 WC
By Adarsh Chauhan, Indore, June 10
Indian cricketer Pooja Vastrakar urged the Women in Blue to carry their form from the successful 2025 ODI World Cup to the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, set to be played in England from June 12 to July 5.
Under Harmanpreet Kaur's captaincy, India secured their first-ever World Cup title in 2025, winning the tournament on home soil. Pooja Vastrakar, who is not part of India's squad for the Women's World Cup in England, is currently featuring in the Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) Scindia Cup.
Speaking to ANI, she said India should build on their strong ODI World Cup performance and carry that momentum into the upcoming T20 World Cup.
She added that the team has several experienced and key players rather than relying on a few individuals, and believes the player who handles pressure best will emerge as the standout performer of the tournament.
"They did very well in the ODI World Cup, so my message would be to just continue that in the T20 World Cup as well. And there isn't just one or two players; I think many players are key players and are experienced, and it will be fun to watch everyone. Anyone among them who handles the pressure will be the hero of this World Cup," Vastrakar told ANI.
She said that apart from India, six-time champions Australia and inaugural T20 WC winners England are strong contenders for the 2026 edition. She noted Australia's long-standing dominance in women's cricket and added that England could benefit from playing in home conditions.
"Australia is there because they have been dominating for a long time, and England might get the advantage of home conditions," Vastrakar said.
Vastrakar is leading Chambal Ghariyals in the MPL and has captained them to the final, which is set to be played on June 13 at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore.
Coming to India's T20 WC 2026 campaign, the Women in Blue will be led by Harmanpreet Kaur.
India's squad for T20 WC: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Shree Charani, Yastika Bhatia, Nandani Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Kranti Gaud, Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Pooja is spot on about handling pressure being key. Our team has depth now - not just relying on one or two stars. But I'm a bit concerned about the squad selection. Where is Pooja herself? She's a proven match-winner. Would've loved to see her in England. Hope the selectors have a solid plan.
First ODI World Cup at home, now T20 WC in England - what a journey for women's cricket! 🏏 Pooja's leadership in MPL shows she's still got it. The squad looks balanced: Shafali for explosive starts, Deepti for stability, and Radha Yadav's spin could be deadly on English pitches. Just need to sort out the middle order.
Interesting take from Pooja. As an Australian cricket fan, I have to agree - our women's team is incredibly dominant. But India's ODI World Cup win shows they're closing the gap. The key will be whether India's spin attack can exploit English conditions better than Australia's pace. Should be a cracking tournament!
Honestly, while the ODI win was massive, our T20 record against top teams is still patchy. Remember the 2023 T20 WC semi-final loss? We need more aggressive batting in the powerplay - Smriti and Shafali need to fire together, not just one of them. And fielding must improve; dropped catches cost matches in England. Let's see if Harmanpreet can inspire another miracle!
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