As the Indian women’s cricket team gears up for their title defense at the Asia Cup, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah has offered an uplifting message to the players.
The seven-time champions are likely to kick off their campaign with a highly anticipated clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on Friday at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium in Dambulla, Sri Lanka.
In a heartfelt Instagram post, Shah encouraged the team as they aim to uphold their champion status.
“As you step onto the field today to defend your title in the Women’s Asia Cup, know that the hopes and dreams of a nation are with you. Each one of you is not just playing a game, you are creating #HerStory in the making!” Shah wrote.
The Indian women’s team holds a strong 11-3 record over Pakistan in T20I encounters.
Pakistan, entering the tournament after a series of inconsistent performances, faces a formidable challenge.
India’s squad, led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, includes key players such as Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, and Jemimah Rodrigues.
The Indian women triumphed in the last Asia Cup held in 2022, securing the title with an eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Bangladesh.
The current squad for the T20 Asia Cup features:
- Harmanpreet Kaur
- Smriti Mandhana
- Shafali Verma
- Deepti Sharma
- Jemimah Rodrigues
- Richa Ghosh
- Uma Chetry
- Pooja Vastrakar
- Arundhati Reddy
- Renuka Singh Thakur
- Dayalan Hemalatha
- Asha Sobhana
- Radha Yadav
- Shreyanka Patil
- Sajana Sajeevan
As the tournament unfolds, all eyes will be on the Indian women’s team to see if they can continue their dominance and add another title to their illustrious history.
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