Working On Killing Attitude In Indian Team Ahead Of Common Wealth Games 2022 Opener: Harmanpreet Kaur

Ahead of their first Group A match against Australia in the women's T20 event opener of 2022 Commonwealth Games, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur revealed that everyone in the team is speaking and working about the need for a 'killing' attitude within the members of the side.

On Friday, as India and Australia take the field for the first-ever women's T20 match in the history of the Commonwealth Games at Edgbaston Cricket Ground, all eyes will be on how Harmanpreet & Co. fare against the Meg Lanning-led side, along with their newly-suggested 'killing attitude' originally coming from all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar during Sri Lanka tour in June-July.

"When we toured Sri Lanka, there was a meeting where only players were present. I asked all girls that what is the thing we want to set for our team? So, Pooja gave a very good answer: killing attitude. From there, we are still working on that while doing something during playing and training."

"We are trying to create that mauhaal (environment) where everyone in the team is talking about this killing attitude. I don't know what things Australia follow, but I can talk about my team. So, killing attitude is something we all are working on," said Harmanpreet in a pre-match virtual press conference.

Friday's match will also be the first time India women's cricket team will be playing a T20 match at Edgbaston, a venue which has short straight and side boundaries on the square standing at approximately 59-60 metres. Harmanpreet remarked that the team had done its planning about tacking the short boundaries and felt the pitch at Edgbaston will be great for both batters as well as bowlers.

"We have tried for these things in the nets. We have never played at this venue before, but in England there are wickets which are very similar in nature. Yesterday when we got to bat in nets, we didn't face any difficulty and that was the plus point for us."

"We went to the stadium yesterday (Wednesday). We weren't able to look at the pitch, but we did get some time in the nets and I think nets as well as pitch will be quite similar. It was looking like a very nice batting track and you get some help for the bowlers also due to weather and grass on the wicket."

"It will be great for both batters and bowlers. It's time to other than thinking about what is going to happen on the pitch, just look at the ball and execute our plans, those things are going to help us. If we talk about team combination, we still have a balanced side. We need to just shuffle our batting order and bowl reasonably well, then we can make it big in the competition."

With the Commonwealth Games being the first time the side is participating in a multi-sporting event, Harmanpreet admitted that everyone is still getting used to how things work in Games Village and was non-committal over the team attending opening ceremony due to the match against Australia happening on Friday morning.

"Staying in the village is a little different to the other tournaments we have played. But we are enjoying and adapting to these things because everywhere you go, you have to carry your card and other than that, nobody is going to recognise you. We are getting used to this environment. Regarding opening ceremony, we are still thinking of that as next day, we have early game. If things look according to what we are planning, then we will definitely go."

Harmanpreet insisted every game in the event would be crucial for them and wants the side to focus on one match at a time. "See, for us, all the teams are important. Winning all the games is something which is very important in a tournament like this. The first game and other games are also important for us."

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"But the first game is always important because you have to set the tone for the team. Other two teams are important; we made plans for them. For us, it is now one game at a time and right now, full focus in on first game. When other games are going to happen, will put full focus on plans for them."