Drawing inspiration from previous masters, mentors or heroes is absolutely nothing new.
However an attire Harmanpreet Kaur and her team must look for inspiration from is the India womens U-19 group, who are the freshly crowned world T20 champions.The Shafali Verma-led side won the inaugural edition in Potchefstroom last month and the senior side, which is chasing an evasive ICC Trophy, will open their Womens T20 World Cup campaign at the other end of South Africa, in Cape Town on Sunday.Bunched in group B in addition to Pakistan, England, Ireland and West Indies, first up for the previous editions runners-up are the neighbours marshalled by Bismah Maroof.While the storied fights between the 2 well known challengers covers over seven decades in maless cricket, it is relatively new among ladies with the first match in between the two sides played in 2005.
That stated, the freshness of the rivalry takes absolutely nothing away from the intensity or spotlight surrounding it.In the shortest format, India are the dominant side, having actually won 10 of the 13 face-offs between the two sides.
The last time the two sides satisfied in the Asia Cup last year, Pakistan ended on the winning side.
But come Sunday, India, offered their preparations and line-up will begin as formbook favourites.
This, regardless of a major setback in the kind of the absence of Smriti Mandhana.
The vice-captain and batting ace, is down with a finger injury.Confirming the very same, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, the stand-in coach, stated: Smriti has a finger injury and is still recovering, so she wont play most-likely.
Its not a fracture and were hopeful she will be available from the second video game onwards.
On the other hand, in a big relief, skipper Harmanpreet has actually recuperated from a shoulder niggle and is fit to lead the side.
Harman is fit to play.
She has batted in the nets for the previous two days and is fine, Kanitkar added.Perennial underachievers on the ICC platform, India have ticked many boxes in the run-up to the competitors.
Their preparations have consisted of a five-match house series against safeguarding champs Australia, an extreme camp and acclimatisation over three weeks which included a tri-series.
Pakistan on the other hand gotten ready for the competition with a home series versus Ireland prior to travelling to Australia for a limited overs tour.Even without Smriti, Indias batting has depth with Shafali, Richa Ghosh, Harmanpreet, Deepti Sharma and Devika Vaidya.
The toss up for Smritis No.
3 position will be between Jemimah Rodrigues and Harleen Deol.