As Harmanpreet Kaur and her troops prepare for the ICC Women’s World Cup, which starts from September 30 and will be played in India, the challenge for a grand performance beckons the Indian team.
Although the Indian women’s team boasts some gigantic names like Smriti Mandhana, captain Harmanpreet Kaur herself, a team effort is required for their success.
A strong lower middle order is often the difference between victory and defeat in cricket, and the Indian women’s team boasts important all-rounders ready to shoulder this responsibility in the World Cup. The current Indian team has a strong core in that department.
Although yesteryears used to witness a complete crumble, lack of contribution from the lower-middle order, things have changed gradually. And in recent times, the lower middle order of the women’s team has not just shown resilience, but an ability to score freely.
Former India women’s captain and legendary Anjum Chopra spoke to MyKhelin an exclusive interview, depicting the importance of their role for the team.
“I feel the lower middle order is going to be a big, crucial point or an important facet in the game when it comes to chasing down targets or maybe in a difficult situation, setting down targets. They will play a crucial role in this World Cup, without a doubt.”
She detailed how players like Sneh Rana and Deepti Sharma complement each other well. The likes of Deepti, Radha and Sneh have not just showcased their might with the ball, but are honing their batting roles with commendable results. Chopra reminisced about Sneh Rana’s evolution, whom she has seen breaking into the scene of Indian cricket.
“I remember when she came through the under-19, under-23 era as a player, I played with her. She used to bat consistently. And now with all the experience, if she can have that contribution along with her bowling, then that will help,” Chopra further commented on Sneh Rana.
She emphasized how a resilient lower order increases pressure on opposition bowlers by saying, “It also puts pressure on the opposition bowlers that just after four or five batters, it’s not like there is no batting to come. It helps a fellow bowler as well, because you’re reducing the load on probably a Renuka Singh Thakur, whose batting skills are not as strong as Sneh’s as we speak.”