Shantha Rangaswamy, Harmanpreet Kaur, Australia, India, Women's T20 World Cup
Harmanpreet Kaur (Credits: Twitter)

Harmanpreet Kaur, the T20 captain of the Indian Women cricket team, is hoping that a national selection panel will soon be appointed.

One of the many criticism’s labeled at the Board of Control for Cricket in India [BCCI] is that it has failed to appoint the selectors for the Indian women team after the post was left vacant by Hemlata Kala and her team back in January.

Harmanpreet, in a recent interview to TOI, said that she hopes that the Women in Blue will have selectors in ‘due course of time’

“While it is important to have selectors, I hope we will have them in due course of time,” Harmanpreet Kaur tells TOI in an interview.

Harmanpreet Kaur Hoping That The Women In Blue Will Have A Selection Panel In 'Due Course Of Time'
Indian Women Cricket Team. Credits – Twitter

The Women in Blue have done brilliantly in the world events in the past three years. But just like the men’s team, they too have faltered at the final hurdle, losing the 2017 and 2020 50 and 20-over finals to England and Australia and the 2018 T20 World Cup semi-final to England.

Former selector Hemlata Kala had recently stated that the Indian girls are not able to handle the pressure of expectations, something Harmanpreet refutes wholeheartedly, adding that the team is desperate to cross the final hurdle in the 2021 50-over World Cup.

“I don’t agree with the statement. I feel the women’s game has grown tremendously over the last few years and we showed great character and resilience to reach the final. It has only motivated us to go one better next time,” said Harmanpreet

“We would want to go one better and win it next year. We have been performing well as a team at global tournaments and we have to continue to play to our strengths and believe in ourselves,” Kaur added.

 

‘I’m excited about the tournament’- Harmanpreet Kaur on Women’s T20 Challenge

Harmanpreet Kaur Hoping That The Women In Blue Will Have A Selection Panel In 'Due Course Of Time'
Skippers of last year’s Women’s T20 Challenge, Mithali Raj, Smriti Mandhana, and Harmanpreet Kaur. (Image Credits: Twitter)

With the Indian tour of England getting postponed due to Covid-19 pandemic, there was a lot of uncertainty in the past few weeks over the schedule of the team ahead of the all-important World Cup in New Zealand in early 2021.

The BCCI, after having garnered a lot of criticism for its alleged ‘negligence’ towards Women cricket recently announced that the team will be taking part in a bilateral series against South Africa in October before traveling to the UAE for another edition of the Women T20 Challenge.

The T20 Challenge will be a three-team contest and will take place during the IPL playoff week. And, Harmanpreet Kaur, just like other women cricketers, is very excited and is looking forward to entertaining everybody.

I’m excited about the tournament because this is the first time we’ll be playing in Dubai. I had questions like how would be the wickets be there. As a batter, we need to think about these things. We need to play on our strengths, because if you don’t play to your strengths, then your natural game doesn’t come out. I hope that we grab this opportunity. I hope we get to entertain everybody,” Harmanpreet Kaur added.

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