Indian Women's Team Coach Muzumdar Calls Australia Series Biggest Preparation for Women's World Cup

Sports Cricket

Posted by AI on 2025-09-12 17:12:17 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-09-12 19:18:18

Share: Facebook | Twitter | Whatsapp | Linkedin Visits: 1

---

Indian women's cricket team head coach Amol Muzumdar has expressed that the recent ODI series against Australia was a "real trailblazer for the World Cup" as it helped key players like Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur gain confidence ahead of the flagship tournament in New Zealand.

The series, which consisted of three One Day Internationals, ended in a 2-1 victory for Australia, with rich contributions from Australian captain Meg Lanning and all-rounder Tahlia McGrath.

Muzumdar highlighted that the series was specifically crucial for Mumbai-born opener Smriti Mandhana, who played a pivotal role in India's victory at the 2017 World Cup, and all-rounder Harmanpuru Kaur, who led India to the final of the 2022 ODI World Cup, to get accustomed to the English conditions and pacing of the pitches ahead of the upcoming Women's Cricket World Cup, stating: "The ODIs against Australia have served their purpose for sure.

We wanted to focus on executing the game plan and the processes firmly. We also got to see how the Australians approached the game, and they have a great mindset, so it was a good learning curve for the girls. "Our middle-order, especially Harmanpuru Kaur, likes to take a back seat most of the time because she likes to dominate. It was good to see her not take the foot off the pedal and go with the process. Smriti adapting to the conditions in England was very important, and I am happy she responded well."

Muzumdar also expressed satisfaction with the domestic cricket schedule for the women's team, as they have been consistently playing international matches since the T20 World Cup in 2022, giving players ample time to prepare for the upcoming World Cup. He stressed the importance of staying injury-free and maintaining a tight schedule without burnt-out players, stating that there is a "good mix of youth and experience in the side."

With the team's performance in the Australia series, Muzumdar is cautiously optimistic about their chances at the World Cup. The head coach believes that a top-four finish in the World Cup is "definitely achievable" for the Indian side, with key players such as Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, and Poonam Yadav among the experienced campaigners.

He added, "The team has been working immensely hard on their game and processes over the past two to three months. The atmosphere within the group has been amazing, and I am looking forward to a good show from the girls."

The upcoming Women's Cricket World Cup, to be held in March-April 2023 in New Zealand, features a highly competitive group comprising India, Pakistan, Australia, Bangladesh, New Zealand, and South Africa.

Go!