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NEW DELHI: India captain Harmanpreet Kaur on Monday said her team is determined to end the country’s long wait for an ICC women’s title, with the upcoming ODI Women’s World Cup on home soil presenting the perfect opportunity.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Speaking at the trophy unveiling ceremony in the presence of former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh and her teammates, Harmanpreet admitted that the drought weighs on the players but also fuels their motivation.“We want to break that barrier which all Indians are waiting for. World Cups are always special, always want to do special for my country. Whenever I see Yuvi bhaiya (Yuvraj Singh), it gives me a lot of motivation,” she said.
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India have reached the final on multiple occasions — most memorably in 2017 when they finished runners-up in England — but are yet to clinch the elusive crown. The World Cup begins September 30, preceded by a crucial home ODI series against defending champions and tournament favourites Australia from September 14.“Playing against Australia is always challenging and we get to know what is our standing. The series will give us a lot of confidence. We have been putting a lot of effort in our training camps and the results are showing,” Harmanpreet noted.With the trophy now touring India and the team buoyed by recent wins in England, Harmanpreet believes this World Cup could finally end India’s wait for global glory.“There is a larger picture here which has to do with what this means to the country. The growth of women’s cricket in many ways is a reflection of the country’s progress,” said ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta. “It normalises women occupying spaces which were traditionally occupied by men. It normalises women being outdoors. It also creates an opportunity for both men and women to come out and support Team India, not just the men in blue but the women in blue.”Gupta continued, “In every sense, the growth of women’s cricket over the last eight years has brought up to this moment where it is time for women’s cricket to take the next leap. This World Cup can be the springboard for that next leap.” “World Cups are more than just events, they are apertures for building trans-generational legacies and foster new cultures.”
