Harmanpreet Kaur and Co identify the ‘hurdle’ which eluded IND from ICC title: ‘If we can remain mentally stable in…’

Team India captain Harmanpreet Kaur has asserted that the players have worked on their mental strengths to handle crunch situations in the upcoming Women's T20 World Cup. The Indian women's cricket team has played some impressive cricket in the past few years but has failed to get their hands on an ICC title as they often failed to hold their nerves and crumbled under pressure.

Under Harmanpreet's leadership, India played in the finals of the 2020 T20 World Cup and Commonwealth Games 2022, but they failed to cross the final hurdle against Australia on both occasions.

Harmanpreet discussed India's mental toughness preparations ahead of the mega ICC event in the UAE.

"We have been working on mental strength for a long time. The last 3-4 overs are the most crucial. T20 cricket is not a small format; at the end of the day, you are playing 40 overs," Harmanpreet told Star Sports.

Also Read | Harmanpreet Kaur raring to break the ‘final barrier’ in UAE to win Women's T20 WC title: ‘We learn from our defeats’

The Indian skipper said that the team has started focusing on getting the job done in the last 4-5 overs where things got slipped from their hands in the past.

“In the last 4-5 overs, the team that is mentally strong wins the match. We have been focusing on this for a while. If we can remain mentally stable in those final 5 overs, we can execute what’s best for us. We are working on those aspects, and hopefully, we will overcome this hurdle in the tournament,” she added.

Harmanpreet Kaur opens up on diversity in Indian team

Harmanpreet further spoke about how diversity in the Indian cricket team’s dressing room fosters a positive atmosphere.

"All the players in our team come from different states. It feels good when you see so many different characters in the team. People from various states share the dressing room, and you get to learn about their cultures. I think you can only experience that in sports, not in any other career. It’s a beautiful feeling. All the girls in the team are really nice and humble. It feels great to share the dressing room with them and play cricket together," she added.

India's campaign begins on October 4 against New Zealand followed by the clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on October 6.