The Indian women’s cricket team will have a sports psychologist during training for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. It is believed to be a big step by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which is focusing on the team’s ability to handle pressure situations.
The Indian women’s team has come close to participating in several ICC tournaments before but has so far failed to cross the line. They reached the final of the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2020 and the semi-final of the tournament in 2022 but lost to Australia on both occasions.
At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, India made it to the gold medal match but faltered under pressure and lost to Australia again. In all the above-mentioned matches, India was in a dominant position at one stage but the pressure of a big match resulted in a flurry of wickets.
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India’s 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup preparations get a boost from a sports psychologist
As a result, the BCCI has hired a sports psychologist to conduct sessions for the team during the training camp, ESPNCricinfo reported. Harmanpreet Kaur, the Indian captain, has repeatedly asked the board to help players open up to their challenges and work on playing under pressure and mental fatigue.
Almost all of India’s players, apart from those participating in the Women’s Hundred and Women’s CPL, will assemble in Bengaluru for a fitness camp at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) to prepare for the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup.
Indian players participating in foreign T20 leagues
The Indian women’s team is not scheduled to play any international matches between now and the start of the Women’s T20 World Cup. Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma and Jemimah Rodrigues are all involved in leagues around the world.
India’s repeated failures in important knockout matches have been a source of disappointment for both the team and the fans. India have also reached the ODI World Cup finals twice, in 2005 and 2017, but lost on both occasions.
On both occasions, Mithali Raj captained India. In 2017, the Indian women’s team lost the match against the England women’s team by just 9 runs after dominating most of the match.
Shreyanka Patil could be fit for the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup
In a major relief, Indian all-rounder Shreyanka Patil is reportedly fit again for the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup. She will participate in the conditioning camp ahead of the tournament.
Patil suffered a finger injury during the Women’s Asia Cup in July. Yastika Bhatia is likely to continue her rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for the posterior cruciate ligament injury in her left knee.
Bhatia’s absence was felt in the Women’s Asia Cup, where India tried out a number of D-spinners Hemalatha and Uma Chetry at No. 3. Bhatia can also provide the wicketkeeping option and is also a capable batsman in the top order. Her last T20I came on India’s tour of Bangladesh in April 2024.