The Indian women’s team is all set for the clash against recent Asia Cup winners Sri Lanka in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. Ahead of the match, India’s cricketers—Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana and Renuka Singh, Radha Yadav —shared their strategies for facing strong opponents like Sri Lanka and Australia.
Shafali Verma on Chamari Athapaththu’s impact
In her interview with Star Sports, Shafali Verma praised the role played by Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu in the squad. She said, “There was a time when Chamari was the one scoring most of the runs and taking wickets, but in the Asia Cup, her entire team performed well. They’ve improved a lot, which is why they won the cup. Chamari carries the pressure of being a key player, and it’s inspiring to see how she handles it and performs for her country.”
Smriti Mandhana on upcoming matches
Smriti Mandhana shared her thoughts on the importance of the upcoming games in the Women’s T20 World Cup. She said, “As a player, all games are important to us. When you come to the World Cup, you have to give 100 percent in each game. Sri Lanka is a good team in our group, but with Australia, you know you can’t make errors; you have to bring your best game on that day to get the better of them. There is excitement in facing them because they are a really good team, and beating them would be a great achievement.”
Renuka Singh on the threat posed by Chamari
Renuka Singh spoke about the challenge posed by Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu, commenting, “Chamari Athapaththu is very interesting. She’s the only one from Sri Lanka who can turn the match around. I try to get her out as soon as possible because if she gets set, she can dominate the game. I have a plan on how to get her out.”
