The Indian team is going to play its first match in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 against New Zealand today on 4th October in Dubai. The team has never won the T20 World Cup in the last eight editions. The team reached the final of the 2022 edition, but they had to face defeat against Australia. This time, Harmanpreet Kaur and company will be seen showing their full strength to lift the first title.

Meanwhile, before the first match of the tournament, Indian opener Shafali Verma talked about many things in the pre-match press conference. Shefali told how her bond is with Smriti Mandhana and captain Harmanpreet Kaur. Shefali also told that winning the World Cup has always been Harmanpreet’s dream and the opener hopes that it will definitely be fulfilled this time.

Have been preparing for the World Cup for the last 6-7 months- Shefali Verma

While talking about the first match against New Zealand and Sophie Devine, Shefali Verma said,

“Yes, our first match is against New Zealand, and it is exciting to face them after a long time. We have been preparing for the World Cup for the last 6-7 months, and we are all looking forward to it. Sophie Devine is a fearless batsman, so we will try to get her out early.”

Talking about her on-field relationship with Smriti Mandhana, Shefali said,

“I have been opening with Smriti for the last 2-3 years, and now we can understand each other’s emotions just by our facial expressions while batting. We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and we give each other positive energy. We understand how important both of us are to the team, especially during the powerplay, so we try to perform well for ourselves, our teammates and the country. Smriti Di handles the ball brilliantly, and knows how to take the innings forward. These are the two things I admire most about his batting – his timing and his ability to score a big innings.”

Shefali Verma then talked about their bond with Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur and said,

“Harmanpreet didi is very passionate about sports. It has always been his dream to win the World Cup and I hope we can make that dream come true. She is a great player, a great teammate and a great captain who inspires and encourages us all the time.”