NEW DELHI: The image of Rohit Sharma’s slow walk and the iconic moment of lifting the ICC T20 World Cup trophy at a packed Kensington Oval in Barbados is still fresh in the minds of cricketers and fans alike.
Nearly four months have passed since Team India’s triumph, and now the spotlight has shifted to the Indian women’s cricket team, who are eager to replicate the success of their male counterparts.
EXCLUSIVE: We will come through with flying coloursIndia women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur aims to follow in Rohit’s footsteps and lead her team to victory in the Women's T20 World Cup.
India will kick off their campaign against New Zealand in their opening Group A match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday.
The tournament marks the ninth edition of the Women's T20 World Cup, and India are still in pursuit of their maiden title. Their closest chance came in 2020, when they reached the final, only to be beaten by a dominant Australian side at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Determined to move past their previous disappointments, the Indian women’s team is focused on starting strong and putting an end to the heartbreaks of the past.
When asked if she hopes to replicate Rohit’s success in Barbados, Harmanpreet responded confidently to TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview: "Yes, hopefully. That’s our aim."
"As I said, we are prepared, we are positive, and we just want to go out and give our best. We always remind ourselves in the dressing room that this is a great opportunity for us," she added.
"I tell my team one thing: go and enjoy your game. That’s it," the Indian skipper concluded.
After facing New Zealand on Friday, India are scheduled to take on Pakistan (6 October), Sri Lanka (9 October) and Australia (13 October) in their remaining group stage fixtures.