Eyeing a semi-finals berth, overwhelming favourites India will have to guard against complacency when they play Ireland in their third Group B match of the ICC Women’s World T20 in Guyana on Thursday.
India and Ireland have never met in women’s T20I before; India have recorded 12 victories in 12 ODI encounters with the Irish however.
India have also won six T20I matches on the bounce ahead of this contest with Ireland and victory in this game will mark their longest ever winning run in this format.
The Indian team are on a roll having convincingly won their first two matches, including against arch-rivals Pakistan two days ago.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur declared open the tournament with her blazing hundred against New Zealand at the Providence, the same venue where India will face Ireland.
Ireland, on the other hand, have lost to both Australia and Pakistan.
India will enter the game against the Irish as overwhelming favourites but Kaur is aware that her team cannot afford to take things for granted in this mega-event. The team’s catching will be under focus after the sloppy effort against Pakistan.
Ireland cricket is known for its fighting abilities and taking them lightly will not be the way to go for India, with qualification to the last-four knocking on their doors.
Having eased past Pakistan a couple of days after the big win against the New Zealanders, India will nevertheless fancy their chances at the Providence.
If Kaur was the star of the opening win, the team’s most experienced campaigner, Mithali Raj, showed the way in the seven-wicket win over Pakistan.
While Jemimah Rodrigues started her T20 career with a fine half-century, the likes of Smriti Mandhana and Veda Krishnamurthy will look to score some runs against Ireland.
In bowling, off-break bowler D Hemalatha and leg-spinner Poonam Yadav shone with 10 wickets among them so far, and the seamers, whoever gets the nod, will look to get going in the coming games.
After New Zealand’s defeat to Australia, a win against Ireland will guarantee India’s progress to the final four.
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