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India’s batting has to deliver

TAUNTON: India will have to quickly sort out its batting woes if it wants to surprise formidable England in its opening match in the ICC women’s World Twenty20 tournament beginning here on Thursday.

Host England is the 50-over World Cup winner but with the T20 format new to all the teams, Jhulan Goswami’s side can fancy upsetting the tournament favourite.

The Indians, who have played just two T20 internationals, finished third in the ODI World Cup in March and did not have the best of the build-ups to the tournament with a 17-run loss to New Zealand on Tuesday in their only warm-up game.

Wherewithal

Jhulan was confident that her side had the wherewithal to be among the top sides in the tournament.

“You need to play with your mind. If you’re mentally strong you can beat (any team) and we are confident about ourselves,” she said.

Jhulan will though depend a lot on her two seniormost team-mates — Anjum Chopra and Mithali Raj — to shore up the batting which could not chase down 124 against New Zealand.

Both former captains, Anjum and Mithali have played 116 and 115 ODIs and have vast experience of playing in England though they are also new to T20 having played just one and two Internationals respectively.

Balanced side

India coach Sudha Shah had said before leaving for the tournament: “we have a balanced side with a mix of experience and young players in the team.

England, which has played 11 T20 internationals, has two experienced campaigners in captain Charlotte Edwards and Wisden Cricketer of the Year Claire Taylor. If Jhulan and her bowling colleagues check these two batswomen, the job would be half done.

The fixtures:

First round (all at Taunton): June 11: South Africa vs. West Indies & England vs. India; June 12: Australia vs. New Zealand & Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka; June 13: New Zealand vs. West Indies & India vs. Pakistan; June 14: England vs. Sri Lanka & Australia vs. West Indies; June 15: New Zealand vs. South Africa & India vs. Sri Lanka; June 16: England vs. Pakistan & Australia vs. South Africa.

Semifinals: June 18 (Trent Bridge) & June 19 (The Oval).

Final: June 21 (Lord’s). — Agencies

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