BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia on Thursday expressed confidence that the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian women's cricket team will leverage the winning momentum from last year's ODI World Cup triumph into the upcoming Women's T20 World Cup, scheduled from 12 June to 5 July in England. Saikia made the remarks during the squad announcement, emphasizing that five pre-tournament matches will ensure the team acclimatises to English conditions before the tournament begins.

Pre-tournament preparation and squad confidence

The Indian team will play three T20 International matches followed by two warm-up matches ahead of the World Cup, providing comprehensive preparation in English conditions. Saikia highlighted that the squad will depart for England on 22 May, allowing sufficient time for adjustment. "With the confidence they are carrying after the World Cup victory last year in the ODIs in India, this team is with a positive mindset," Saikia told reporters. He stressed that winning must become habitual: "If you start winning, then that has to become a habit. So I hope this team will carry that habit to England and also bring another trophy to BCCI and to the country."

WPL strengthens talent pool and injury resilience

Addressing concerns about player fitness, Saikia credited the Women's Premier League (WPL) with creating unprecedented depth in India's women's cricket talent pool. He noted that while two players were unavailable due to injury, the selection committee had adequate quality replacements. "Our pool has become very big since WPL has started. Today, the selector has two injured players, but they get the same standard player for three replacements. So that is a very good thing," Saikia explained. This structural resilience, he argued, demonstrates the positive trajectory of Indian women's cricket.

Emerging talent and fast-tracking strategy

On the fast-tracking of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi into the men's T20I team, Saikia revealed that all five national selectors actively attend IPL matches to identify emerging talent. "Our selectors are going everywhere. They are noticing all the performances. That's why all five of our selectors are physically present in all the IPL matches, because if a new talent comes up, they should be seen," he said. He cited the IPL auction as evidence of a thriving pipeline of young players delivering strong performances.

IPL governance and disciplinary action

On the Riyan Parag vaping incident in the dressing room, for which the player was fined 25 percent of his match fee and issued a demerit point, Saikia signalled stricter enforcement of team conduct standards. "We are exploring some other options about how to bring the teams that are violating the norms. We will be taking some action," he said, emphasizing that teams collectively must maintain decorum to protect the IPL's image. The BCCI is reviewing various terms, conditions, and protocols to ensure compliance.

IPL dynamics and future rule reviews

Responding to criticism about high-scoring matches in the ongoing IPL, Saikia countered that the format offers variety: some teams post low totals while others chase 260-plus scores. "Everybody is enjoying the matches. All the fans are enjoying them. The bowlers are taking good wickets," he noted. On the Impact Player rule, Saikia deferred a decision until after the tournament concludes, stating that the BCCI will review it only if teams formally request reconsideration. "In the middle of the tournament, we cannot take a call. There has been no official request asking us to revisit this particular Impact Player rule," he said.

Packed international schedule ahead

With the IPL still underway, Saikia indicated India's international calendar remains congested. After the league, India will face Afghanistan before touring the United Kingdom. "Let us enjoy the IPL. Our schedule is already packed. After the IPL, we have the Afghanistan series, then the trip to the United Kingdom," he concluded, deferring discussion of other bilateral series until the immediate fixtures are completed.