'Under-19 team's victory provides added inspiration' - Harmanpreet Kaur ahead of ICC Women's T20 World Cup

Indian women's captain Harmanpreet Kaur says that the conquest of the U-19 squad in South Africa will feed an extra dose of motivation as her side pursues an evasive International Cricket Council (ICC) trophy in the T20 World Cup, starting February 10. India outfoxed England to win the inaugural U-19 T20 World Cup on Sunday in South Africa, while the T20WC will also be held in South Africa.

"The Under-19 team's victory provides added inspiration. Winning any world title is huge, and one will always remember this one since it was the inaugural edition of the championship. I congratulate the team for the historic victory and hope we can emulate them in the senior event," said Harmanpreet in her ICC column.

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India has never won a world championship at the senior level, reaching the final on three occasions. "We have senior players as well as young guns like Shafali Verma and Richa Ghosh, who are fresh from the Indian team's victory at the Under-19 World Cup, play an attractive brand of cricket and now also have enough experience of top-class cricket. We have depth in batting and enough variety in bowling with Renuka Singh stepping up well in the pace department to do what is required against top teams," said Harmanpreet.

India is competing in a South Africa tri-series ahead of the mega event. "I am sure this year's tournament in South Africa will be ultra-competitive. Though Australia goes into the tournament as favourites, there is very little separating other teams, promising close matches and high-class performances," Harmanpreet reckoned. India had yielded 1-4 to Australia at home last December.

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"Though we lost the series 4-1, there were enough thrills in the series for the thousands who thronged the Mumbai stadiums. The attendance in those matches also reflected the growing attention the women's game has attracted in recent times. Now, it's all about putting to use our experiences, remaining focused and not getting overawed at crucial junctures. We have confidence in our abilities and understand that we need to step up a level to be remembered as a world-beating Indian side," Harmanpreet concluded.

(With inputs from PTI)