India captain Harmanpreet Kaur states the team is confident entering the T20I series against South Africa, aiming to build momentum and finalise the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. SA captain Laura Wolvaardt prepares for the challenge.
Building Momentum for T20 World Cup
India women’s team captain Harmanpreet Kaur has said that the side is entering the upcoming T20I series against South Africa with confidence and a clear focus on building momentum ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Speaking ahead of the opening T20I of the five-match series on April 17, as quoted by the ICC, Harmanpreet said the team has grown in confidence following the ODI World Cup and is aiming to use the series as preparation for global tournaments. “I think after the ODI World Cup, the team is looking quite confident. Wherever we are going, we are going with full confidence. The South Africa series is very important for us. We want to take this opportunity very seriously and play very good cricket,” she said.
Equal Opportunities for Players
She added that the upcoming bilateral series will be crucial for giving all players equal opportunities before the World Cup squad is finalised. “These series before the (T20) World Cup are very important, where all the players should get equal opportunities. So when we enter the World Cup, we should feel we are ready with all the players,” Harmanpreet said.
Praise for Young Talent
Harmanpreet also praised young talent Anushka Sharma, highlighting the importance of exposing emerging players to high-quality international cricket. “Anushka Sharma is a great talent. We wanted to bring her here to give her some experience. When you do well against competitive teams like South Africa, you always get a lot of confidence,” she said.
South Africa’s Perspective
On the other side, South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt acknowledged the challenge of facing a confident Indian unit, while also embracing the opportunity to test her side’s plans and execution. “They obviously have a lot of world-class spinners, so that will be a big thing for us. it’s an awesome challenge and hopefully we’re able to play some good cricket.”
A Rivalry Renewed
The rivalry between the two sides adds another layer, especially with recent Cricket World Cup history still fresh. “Very exciting rivalry. We beat them in the group stages and then lost the final (in 2025), which was disappointing. Haven’t played them since that final, so definitely looking forward to a bit of a rematch,” Wolvaardt said.
T20I Series Schedule
T20I Series Schedule: 17 April, 1st T20I – Kingsmead, Durban 19 April, 2nd T20I – Kingsmead, Durban 22 April, 3rd T20I – Wanderers, Johannesburg 25 April, 4th T20I – Wanderers, Johannesburg 27 April, 5th T20I – Willowmoore Park, Benoni. (ANI)
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