Visakhapatnam, Dec 20 (NationPress) A month after achieving a historic victory in the Women’s ODI World Cup, India is set to return to the field when the T20I series against Sri Lanka kicks off at the ACA-VDCA Stadium this Sunday.

India's captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, emphasized that this series is vital for preparing for the upcoming T20 World Cup, scheduled to take place in England from June 12 to July 5. With only 11 T20Is planned before the global tournament, the team is eager to establish consistency and momentum.

Following their group-stage exit at the 2024 T20 World Cup, India has embraced a more aggressive playing style, demonstrated by their recent 2-1 series victory over the West Indies and a 3-2 win against England in July.

“Our ultimate goal is the next T20 World Cup in six months, and we aim to play as many T20 matches as possible before then. Starting tomorrow, we will have some new players on the team; this is the perfect opportunity to let them understand how we need to approach the next World Cup,” said Harmanpreet at the pre-series press conference on Saturday.

The squad that won the World Cup largely remains intact for the series against Sri Lanka, with exceptions for Radha Yadav and Uma Chetry, who have been replaced by emerging talents, left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma and wicketkeeper-batter G. Kamalini.

“It has been a busy schedule, but I welcome this kind of activity following every World Cup. I’m excited about this series. We have been eagerly waiting for a month to step back onto the field because, ultimately, we enjoy our time playing. Tomorrow marks our first game, and I can’t wait,” added Harmanpreet.

For India, the focus is on refining their skills and getting back into T20I rhythm. “The T20 format is one that our team truly enjoys. We must not forget the accomplishments of the past month, as they are the result of our hard work. However, we also need to remember the elements that have contributed to our success and are relevant at this stage. As a team, we are eagerly anticipating the next World Cup,” Harmanpreet concluded.

It is beneficial that India has played ODI World Cup matches against South Africa and Australia in Visakhapatnam. "The pitch here is excellent for batting, and dew will significantly affect the game. We’ve experienced the (ODI) World Cup matches at this venue, so we know the pitch conditions and how to adapt accordingly," she added.