5 players than can help India win the Women’s World T20

Women cricket's biggest extravaganza ICC Women's World T20 is all set to enthral the cricket enthusiasts as defending champions West Indies gear up to host the sixth edition of the biannual international championship, starting November 9, 2018. Hosts and defending champions West Indies will once again be the ones to beat as they bid to become only the second team to hold on their title. Australia, the most successful side in the world in T20Is, on the other hand, will be looking to assert their dominance.

India, hosts of the last edition, failed to make the semis the last time and will be keen to show the world what they are capable off as will be the other participating teams. India is placed in Group B along with Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan and Ireland in the 10-team event. India will begin their campaign against New Zealand in Guyana on November 9, followed by matches against arch-rivals Pakistan (November 11), Ireland (November 15) and Australia (November 17). It would also be the first big tournament for the Indian eves under the newly-appointed head coach Ramesh Powar.

The Indian team will be led by skipper Harmapnreet Singh, will be dependent on their solid batting line-up comprising of the captain herself, along with Mithali Raj and Smriti Mandhana, to give them a solid start in the tournament. Let us take a look at 5 players that can help India clinch its maiden Women’s World T20 title in the West Indies.

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#1 Jemima Rodrigues

Jemima Rodrigues is the future star of Indian cricket. The Mumbai-based teenage sensation Jemimah Rodrigues has cemented her position in the Indian camp in a very short span of time. Jemima drew heavy praise from former England captain Nasser Hussain who was left in awe by her batting.

The talented middle-order bat from Mumbai has proved to be a match-winner on many occasions. Jemimah has scored 334 runs in just 10 innings at T20I level. Not only has she been consistent with the bat but she has scored all those runs at an impressive strike rate of 137.14. Along with Harmanpreet, Jemima will be tasked with scoring some quick runs in the death overs.

#2 Poonam Yadav

India has been a spin-dominated bowling line up for quite some time now. With the retirement of Jhulan Goswami from T20Is, it has become even more so. India is going into the World T20 with a quartet of spin bowlers. The surface at the Province Stadium at Guyana favours the spin bowlers, giving India an excellent chance of reaching the semi-finals.

One player who will play a pivotal role in India’s bowling department is the leg-spinner, Poonam Yadav. Poonam has claimed 61 wickets in 43 T20I matches with a four-wicket haul twice and a career-best spell of 4/9. She is the go-to bowler for captain Harmanpreet who has a lot of faith in her abilities.

#3 Deepti Sharma

Deepti Sharma is a star of the game in One-Day International cricket. An off-spinning all-rounder from Agra, Deepti Sharma was ranked third on the all-rounders' list recently, behind only Australia's Ellyse Perry and West Indies' Stafanie Taylor. It is the T20 format of the game in which she is yet to prove her mettle.

The 21-year-old from Agra has been impressive with his tidy bowling in the T20Is, picking up 18 wickets with her right-arm off-break bowling. It is the batting that has let her down in the T20Is. She has managed to score just 95 runs from 9 innings. The Women’s World T20 would provide her with a golden chance to improve her batting records.

#4 Smriti Mandhana

Smriti Mandhana has, in a very short period of time, become the pivot around which the Indian batting revolves. Smriti has been the standout player in the Indian Women’s cricket during the recent past. Her smashing form in the 2018 edition of the KIA Super League saw her being named the Player of the Series as she scored the most number of runs in the tournament.

She also earned praise from her idol Kumar Sangakkara for her performances. In March this year, she scored the fastest fifty for India in T20Is for Women, entering the record books twice in four days when she scored a 30-ball 50 against Australia and followed it up with a 25-ball half-century against England.

Smriti is a brilliant striker of the cricket ball and has developed a Hayden-esque brutality. Her intimidating style of play at the top can push the pressure back on the opposition and would serve India well in the shortest format of the game.

#5 Harmanpreet Kaur

Harmanpreet is a path breaker of sorts: having become the first India cricketer - male or female - to sign a Big Bash League contract with Sydney Thunder in Australia. She also became the first Indian to sign with Surrey Stars in ECB's Kia Super League. After representing India in 180 international matches, Harmanpreet is set to lead India in her first big tournament.

Harmanpreet Kaur like her idol Virender Sehwag has a very uncomplicated approach to batting: see the ball, hit the ball. The 29-year-old would be spearheading Indian campaign in the West Indies. She is the lynchpin of India’s middle order and is usually tasked with providing the much-needed tempo at the fag end of India’s innings. Harmanpreet has been in excellent form of late, having scored 3 fifties in her last 6 innings. Her whirlwind innings of 64 runs from just 32 balls helped India win the practice match against England. If she continues in her rich vein of form, India may just well clinch its first Women’s World T20 title.