ICC Women's T20 World Cup: SWOT Analysis of India Women squad

The Indian women's team is ready to take on the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Dubai. With two wins in two warm-up matches against West Indies and South Africa respectively, India will kick off the official campaign against New Zealand Women on October 4, Friday. Oddly, India has not played any T20I match since the loss to Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup Final earlier this year. The span amounts to over two months of inaction for India before the all-important ICC event. Notably, despite the break, the team appeared in clinical form in the warm-up matches scheduled in anticipation of the main event.

India women team in ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024

The Indian women team put on a clinical show in the Asia Cup tournament until they faltered in the final. Unfortunately, this has become a pattern for the Women in Blue in high-stakes clashes. The team came close to clinching the trophy last year before Australia got the better of them, thrashing them by a margin of 85 runs. Similarly, the Indian women bowed down against Australia again in the gold medal match at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. In what appeared as a lack of nerves, India succumbed to the world champions by just 8 runs, concluding the campaign with a silver medal. This time, the Indian women would look to defy the curse in their run to win the first-ever ICC Trophy for India in women’s cricket.

Unlike the Men’s T20 World Cup this year, the women’s tournament features just 10 teams with two groups. India is placed in Group A, deemed the group of death this season. Being placed in the first group, India will face arch-rivals Pakistan, the most pertinent threat Australia, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka, who won the Asia Cup trophy this year. The team will start its campaign against New Zealand Women before they meet Pakistan in an anticipated heated clash on October 6, Sunday. Next up, India will look to settle matters with Sri Lanka Women on October 9. Finally, the curtains will be drawn on the league stage as India Women face Australia Women on October 13.

Strengths

The spin department of the Indian women's team appears to be the best facet of the team in the tournament. Looking to play on their strengths, the squad displays a spin-heavy attack led by the ace all-rounder Deepti Sharma. Beyond Sharma, the squad includes Radha Yadav, Sajana Sajeevan, Asha Sobhana Joy, and Shreyanka Patil. Radha Yadav, Asha Sobhana, and Shreyanka Patil have grown to be known as lethal spin options for the team. Most recently, their impact was witnessed during the warm-up match against South Africa Women, where Asha Sobhana dismissed Tazmin Brits in the seventh over. Deepti claimed the wicket of Anneke Bosch, and the young Shreyanka removed captain Laura Wolvaardt, who had scored 29 off 26 balls. By the halfway point, South Africa stood at 55 for two, underlining the strength of India's spin attack.

It’s no secret that India’s performance in any tournament relies heavily on primary players like Smriti Mandhana, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, and all-rounder Deepti Sharma. Luckily, the top performers appear to be in fine form ahead of the ICC T20 Women’s World Cup. Fresh off strong performances in the Women's Premier League (WPL) and The Hundred, where she played a pivotal role for London Spirit, Deepti Sharma seems to be in peak form. Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues form the backbone of the batting lineup, with both players in good recent form. Jemimah especially has shown consistency, scoring a half-century and 30 off 26 balls in the two warm-up matches.

Weakness

India has faced a major struggle in finding the best fit for the No. 3 position in the batting order. Going into the marquee event, the team needs to lock in a reliable fit for the position. Over recent years, the team has experimented with several players, including Yastika Bhatia, Dayalan Hemalatha, and Uma Chetry. Among all, Jemimah has provided the semblance of excellence in the spot for India. Thus, her return could stabilize this position, given her ability to navigate through the middle overs. However, the team looks to be trying to fit skipper Harmanpreet Kaur in the position. The move has not worked in their favour, as Kaur failed to score in the position in the two warm-up matches.

Another concern for India is their agility in the field. The team has often been criticized for its lapses in the field, such as dropped catches, which have proven costly in key matches, including the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka. Addressing these fielding issues will be crucial if they are to succeed in high-pressure situations.

Opportunity

While pitted in the group of death, teams like Pakistan Women and Sri Lanka can provide a window for India to accumulate crucial points. Although Sri Lanka enters as a potential threat, having recently defeated India in the Asia Cup final, India has an opportunity to learn from that experience and bounce back. Strong early performances could help build momentum and set a positive tone for the rest of the tournament. India has already won both warm-up games, showing positive signs ahead of the tournament. The mix of experience and youth in the squad provides a chance to harness different playing styles.

Threat

Sri Lanka will come to the event with boosted confidence from their title win against India at the Asia Cup. Moreover, the Pakistan Women team also looks able enough to counter the Indian attack early in the competition. Australia is cemented as the tough nut to crack for India. Thus, if India wants to bet their chances against the likes of New Zealand Women and Australia Women, they need to fire against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

The India squad for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup looks formidable enough to lay a claim on the trophy. However, the team will need to adapt fast to the tracks in the UAE in order to unleash their bowling prowess. Moreover, the batting order needs to be finalized with a special focus on finding the best fit for the No. 3 position. However, noting the earlier patterns, India’s main focus should be to keep a check on their nerves. If India Women can get over their habit of succumbing under pressure, then the trophy looks attainable for the team.