Women's T20 World Cup: Poonam Yadav Predicts India, Australia To Advance From Group A

As the Women's T20 World Cup draws near, spinner Poonam Yadav shared her thoughts on the Indian women's team preparations and potential ahead of the tournament. She delved into India's team composition, their group stage opponents, and what she believes will be key to their success. India's campaign kicks off on October 4 against New Zealand, followed by an eagerly awaited clash with arch-rivals Pakistan on October 6. After facing Sri Lanka again on October 9, they will conclude the group stage against Australia on October 13. All matches are set to take place in Dubai,

Poonam highlighted the tactical decisions captain Harmanpreet Kaur may have to make, particularly regarding the balance between pacers and spinners in the playing XI.

“If the dew factor becomes significant, captain Harmanpreet Kaur may opt for a team combination that includes one or two spinners. While she has shown confidence in the pacers, given the pitch's bounce, she may also consider using Asha Shobana, a wrist-spinner. Wrist spinners can turn the ball on any type of track, and their pace is generally slower.

She further emphasised Deepti Sharma's role as a pivotal player in India's bowling attack, suggesting that both Sharma and Shobana could feature prominently in the World Cup, depending on conditions.

"Deepti Sharma will undoubtedly play a key role in leading India's bowling attack. It's possible that both Deepti Sharma and Asha Shobana could be included in the playing eleven. However, given Harmanpreet Kaur's preference for pacers, it's likely she will primarily rely on them,” Poonam told Star Sports.

Previously, India suffered a disappointing loss in the 2020 T20 World Cup final against Australia and narrowly missed out on victory in the 2017