The cricketing world has been abuzz following the Indian men’s team’s decision not to shake hands with Pakistan players during their recent Asia Cup encounter. As the spotlight now shifts to women’s cricket, Indian ace all-rounder Deepti Sharma was asked if the women’s team would adopt a similar stance for their highly anticipated 2025 WODI World Cup match against Pakistan, scheduled for October 5 in Colombo.
Sharma, however, remained unfazed by the distant fixture and the ongoing Asia Cup chatter. “That match is a long time away. I haven’t thought about it. When that match comes, we will see what we have to do. I’m not thinking much about the Asia Cup. We are focusing on this series,” she stated, emphasizing the team’s immediate priorities.
The Indian women’s team is currently reeling from an eight-wicket thrashing by a formidable Australian side in the opening ODI. They are now desperately seeking a monumental comeback to level the series in the second match at the PCA Mullanpur Stadium this Wednesday. Another defeat would not only mean losing the series but also deal a significant blow to their confidence, which had been high after a successful tour of England, especially with the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup just two weeks away.
To finally clinch an elusive ICC trophy, India must overcome their historical struggles against Australia. Sharma expressed confidence, remarking, “It’s not like there’s a vast difference between them and us. Even the smaller teams are doing well. Winning and losing is a part of the game. When we take the field, we play with the aim to win.”
For Harmanpreet Kaur and her squad to reverse their fortunes against Alyssa Healy’s team, a drastic improvement in their bowling and fielding is essential. Their usually sharp fielding, which shone during the England tour with brilliant catches and crucial run-outs, was notably absent on Sunday night, highlighted by four dropped catches.
Addressing concerns about fielding under the lights at the new international venue, Deepti dismissed any issues. “No, there was no such problem. We’ve fielded well in the last few series as a unit. There can be an odd day when a team makes mistakes. We don’t focus much on that. Whatever has happened in the first match, we have taken a few positives from the things in which we’ve done well. We’ll carry that forward in the second ODI,” she explained.
When pressed to elaborate on these “positives,” Sharma pointed to “The batting partnerships that we had and the little things that we did well in the first ODI, we will carry that forward.”
India’s tactical decision to field four spinners on a pitch that offered little assistance to them also appeared to be a misstep. Deepti herself, as the team’s most experienced bowler, had a disappointing outing, going wicketless and conceding 59 runs in her ten overs.
Regarding the impact of dew on the spinners, Sharma acknowledged its presence but downplayed its significance. “There was dew, but we can’t say that (dew was a big factor). Sometimes, as a bowler, it happens that you want to do well, put in your best effort, but it doesn’t work out that way. The idea is to learn from that and do well next time. I don’t focus much on whether I got a wicket at that time or not. My thought process is about taking a wicket. I hope that we can see that (her taking wickets) in the rest of the matches,” she stated, focusing on future performance.
With the World Cup looming, the team needs to integrate seasoned pacer Renuka Singh Thakur, who has been sidelined from international matches for nine months. Renuka was observed bowling in the nets during the first WODI, hinting at her possible return to action on Wednesday. Deepti confirmed her readiness, simply stating, “She’s fit.”