The Challenge Within

Velocity skipper Deepti Sharma (left), Trailblazers captain Smriti Mandhana and Supernovas’ Harmanpreet Kaur (right) pose with the Women’s T20 Challenge trophy at Pune yesterday. Pic/BCCI

A few years ago, attacking opener Shafali Verma, 18, wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh, 18, and medium pacer Pooja Vastrakar, 22, were unknown domestic players. But thanks to the Women's T20 Challenge, they are now playing at the highest level. And India's T20 skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who is leading Supernovas and defending champions Trailblazers captain, Smriti Mandhana, are expecting some new faces to emerge in the fourth edition of the tournament starting in Pune today.

‘An important tournament'

"It's a very important tournament for me. When we played it the last time, we got Richa, who played really good cricket. Whoever gets an opportunity can perform and we are very keen to give chances to those new faces. We are also looking for some new performances and I hope whoever [young talent] gets the opportunity, performs," Harmanpreet told mid-day during a virtual press conference from Pune on
Sunday.

There is a possibility that this will be the last edition of the three-team competition [Deepti Sharma is leading the third team Velocity] as BCCI is planning to conduct a women's IPL next year. Smriti, 25, who played 84 T20Is, 71 ODIs and four Tests, also felt it's a step towards a big platform for domestic women cricketers. "The T20 Challenge is a stepping stone for the women's IPL. So, whenever it starts, this is a pretty important tournament. We get to see the kind of talent women's cricket has at the domestic level to bring them on the big stage. It's going to be a good advertisement for the women's IPL," Smriti remarked.

A very balanced side: Kaur

However, this is a tournament of just four games and it throws up a quandary for Harmanpreet and Smriti - to play the best XI to win - or allow new faces to display their talent. "We have a very balanced side. We will try our level best [to win the competition]. We have had a few team bonding sessions. I know it's a small tournament and giving everyone an opportunity is not possible, but we will try to give each a chance to play. It's very difficult as you have only two important games, which you have to win and give chances to young players also," said Harmanpreet.

Less matches

Smriti echoed similar sentiments: "We have to be really practical about a few things. We [bowlers] have only four overs and we have only three matches at our disposal. Of course, this is an Indian women's T20 challenge, so we would want our uncapped players to go out there and play something that is very close to international cricket. But I think two or three matches are really less for everyone to get opportunities."

When Smriti, who led Maharashtra to the final of the recently-concluded senior women's T20 tournament, was asked about her personal goals and the areas she is working on, the Sangli-based girl revealed that she is adding new shots to her armoury. "I have been working on T20 cricket because we have a lot of T20s to be played this year. I am trying to play bigger shots than I used to. It will be good to go out there and [perform]. We had a good T20 domestic season and look to continue with it in this tournament. I will be going out and trying to enjoy [the games]," added Smriti, whose 84 against Railways in the senior women's T20 final went in vain; her side losing by seven wickets in Surat recently.