New Delhi: India captain Harmanpreet Kaur believes that her squad is approaching each game with an insatiable desire to win and anticipates no change in this mindset as they prepare for the eagerly awaited Asia Cup encounter against Pakistan scheduled for later this month.
The Indian women’s team is riding high on self-assurance following their recent successes on home soil.
They emerged victorious in the three-match ODI series and the solitary Test match against South Africa, while managing to secure a 1-1 draw in the T20I series.
“The kind of approach we have right now, every day, whenever we are going to play the matches, we are giving equal importance to all matches,” Kaur told Star Sports. “We all are very greedy to win every game, and that is something we feel should be in a team, and this is what everyone in the team is feeling,” she added.
India’s upcoming challenge is the Women’s Asia Cup, commencing on July 19 in Sri Lanka. Kaur and her team will start their tournament against their well-known rivals, Pakistan, at Dambulla.
As a captain, Kaur believes it is her duty to help her teammates remain composed during high-pressure matches.
“When you play against Pakistan, there is a different atmosphere in both the countries. Both the countries want their team to win. As a player, there is a lot of pressure for us. But as a leader, it is my responsibility to make my team feel light in that environment, so that they don’t think that we are playing against Pakistan or it’s a pressure game,” she said.
The clash between India and Pakistan always generates immense interest, regardless of whether it’s a men’s or women’s match. However, Kaur believes that her team must block out the external distractions and approach the encounter like they would any other fixture.
“It will be important for me to make everyone feel that this is also just another game. We have to do well for the team and make the team win.
“Other than thinking about what is going on in the stadium, who are the other people cheering for, who are they talking about, just focus on the main things. Don’t think about the things that we can’t control,” she added.
Jemimah Rodrigues, a middle-order batter, expressed the team’s excitement and optimism regarding their prospects in the Asia Cup.
“The enthusiasm is really high, and that’s always been the scene. It’s a nice feeling, but more than that it’s very inspiring to know that every time we walk out on the field, we know we have the support of every single person backing us.
“It’s just about how well we prepare rather than thinking too much ahead of ourselves. About the results, it’s always about preparation. We know if we prepare well, we are going to go out there and do well,” she added.
