India's quest for their first-ever ICC Women's T20 World Cup title takes them to Bangladesh later this year, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur is already strategising. With fixtures recently announced, India finds itself in a group alongside powerhouses Australia, New Zealand, and familiar foes Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
However, Harmanpreet's comments extended beyond just the team dynamic. In a surprising twist, she expressed admiration for a specific Bangladeshi player, sparking speculation.
"I would select Marufa from the Bangladesh squad for our team," she revealed, indicating a potential high regard for the Bangladeshi player's skills.
Recognizing the home team's advantage and passionate Bangladeshi crowd, Harmanpreet anticipates a strong challenge: "Bangladesh will have the home advantage and deeper familiarity with the conditions," she noted. "Naturally, the crowd will be behind them, but playing against them is always a thrilling encounter. We're hopeful
of a successful showing against them."
Harmanpreet sees a recent dominant 5-0 T20I series win in Bangladesh as a positive pre-cursor for the World Cup. "The conditions there are a bit similar to India," she remarked, "and hopefully, we'll excel in those familiar settings."
India and Bangladesh have become frequent competitors, fostering a simmering yet exciting rivalry on the international stage.
Harmanpreet acknowledged this, highlighting their recent encounters, including a three-match T20I series and an ODI series in Bangladesh last July, followed by the dominating 5-0 T20I series victory for India.
