India will play fearless cricket at T20 World Cup: Harmanpreet Kaur

Our expectation is to win the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. It is something we as a team have been striving for, for a while, and lifting the trophy will remain our goal.

There is no shortage of ambition and drive in this team, and we will leave no stone unturned as we look to make a mark and go the distance, playing a fearless brand of cricket.

The expectation is straightforward: to bring glory to the country and our supporters who back us to the hilt, no matter which part of the world we play in.

Every member of the team looks at the Women’s T20 World Cup, in addition to every match we play, as an opportunity to put our best foot forward collectively and inspire the young and aspiring cricketers across the globe to follow and take up the sport which all of us love and respect.

It is our team’s dream to win this coveted trophy, and I feel, as a team, we have what it takes to lift the trophy. We made it to the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup final in Australia and came tantalisingly close to reaching the final in the previous edition in South Africa in 2023. It makes it clear that the team has the pedigree and what it takes to shine on the biggest stage.

This will be our first time playing in the UAE and there is excitement in the camp and a lot to look forward to. I am pretty sure the crowd will turn out in huge numbers as we play across Dubai and Sharjah.

There is a solid amount of experience in this group, which has been playing a lot of competitive cricket across the globe. While some of our team members are still in their early 20s, they have played a lot of cricket, have been through challenging situations and have come out triumphant.

Additionally, the new faces in the squad come with eagerness to learn and perform and bring that exuberance into the mix.

There is camaraderie in the group and a tremendous amount of respect towards each other. We back each other and make sure no one is ever left behind. It also helps that we have a support staff that plays a massive role in maintaining a healthy atmosphere in and around the team.

If anything, our preparations for this tournament commenced as soon as the last edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup came to an end.

The team has a clear vision and each individual has been given full freedom to prepare in the way which will help the team succeed.

While cricketing skills obviously matter, there is equal focus on the fitness of the players as we understand how much that aspect of the game matters and how much it can make a difference. It also helps that all the players have bought into this idea and system.

While the team’s strategies will vary as per the opposition, our focus largely remains to staying true to our strengths and doing full justice to our potential.

Written by Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur for the ICC in Captains' Column ahead of the Women's T20 World Cup 2024, supplied by ICC Media Zone.