Former India captain Anjum Chopra believes the Indian women’s team is now comfortable in English conditions and will be favorites in the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. India will start their tournament against Pakistan in Birmingham on June 14.
Chopra pointed out that the team management should consider adjusting the batting order to make the most of the players’ strengths. A positive for the team is the return of Yastika Bhatia after a long injury break. She made a strong comeback, scoring 54 runs in her first T20I against England.
“For Nandini (Sharma), yes, she is playing there. But for Shree Charani, this is her second tour to England in less than a year. I believe India will always be among the favorites. I want them not just in the top four, but in the top two and ultimately to win,” said Chopra, as reported by NDTV Sports.
“It’s great that Yastika is scoring runs, although she couldn’t make a long innings in the second match. The team needs to be flexible with the batting order,” she added.
India is in a challenging Group 1 with Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands, where only the top two will move to the semifinals. Chopra highlighted the difficulties of the group and noted that qualifying will be challenging. She stressed the importance of adapting to various match situations and opponents.
“I am not saying they won’t qualify, but they have a series against England now, and in a couple of weeks, they’ll play their first World Cup game. They need to be more adaptable,” Chopra mentioned.
“Pakistan has been playing well, and the Netherlands could surprise. With strong teams like Australia and South Africa in the same group, only two can qualify for the semifinals, making it tough,” she added.