India head coach Amol Muzumdar said his side is fortunate to have captain Harmanpreet Kaur leading the charge as India prepare to open their 2026 ICC Women's T20 World Cup campaign against Pakistan at Edgbaston, Birmingham on Sunday, 15 June. Muzumdar stressed that Harmanpreet's unmatched experience across 17 years of international cricket will be central to India's pursuit of the title.

Harmanpreet's Historic Campaign

Set to appear in her tenth Women's T20 World Cup, Harmanpreet is among just seven players to have featured in every edition of the tournament. 'You cannot buy experience, isn't it? So, she spent a lot of time on the ground. We're lucky that we have the services of Harmanpreet Kaur,' Muzumdar told reporters ahead of Sunday's clash. He noted that her international journey stretches back to 2009, adding, 'I'm sure she'll put her best foot forward in this World Cup.'

ODI World Cup Win a Launchpad, Not a Comfort Zone

Muzumdar was quick to draw a line between India's ODI World Cup triumph last year and the demands of the shortest format. 'It's a completely different format, isn't it? Yes, we won the World Cup but that was in the ODIs, this is a brand new format,' he said. He added that lessons from that campaign would be carried into this tournament, expressing confidence that the team 'will cross the line.'

Three Weeks of Acclimatisation in England

India arrived in England on 23 May, spending nearly three weeks at the BCCI Centre of Excellence camp before playing a T20I series against England — which they lost 2-1 — and warm-up fixtures in Cardiff. 'They are in a very good space at the moment. We have got used to these conditions,' Muzumdar said, acknowledging the unpredictable English weather as an ongoing challenge. Preparations for this tournament, he revealed, began immediately after the ODI World Cup win in November, with the squad following a schedule drawn up six months in advance.

Yastika's Return, Injury Absentees, and Bowling Depth

Yastika Bhatia's return to the number three slot drew particular praise from the coach. Bhatia had missed the previous ODI World Cup after suffering a left knee ACL injury during the final camp in Visakhapatnam. 'The way she has come back, the way she has fought her way back in this team, it just tells you a little bit of an insight of how this team reacts to challenges,' Muzumdar said. On the injury-enforced absences of Amanjot Kaur and Kashvee Gautam, and the unavailability of Pooja Vastrakar, the coach acknowledged the setbacks but said both injured players are on track with rehabilitation at the CoE. India's bowling, meanwhile, has presented what Muzumdar described as a welcome selection headache: 'We have got eight quality bowlers — quality spin and seam bowlers. So we've got four and four each.' Running between the wickets was flagged as a continued area of focus, with Muzumdar calling it 'a work in progress.'

Richa Ghosh Backed to Fire as Finisher

Wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh enters the tournament in form after a lean patch, and Muzumdar was emphatic in his backing. 'She's a world-class player... it will require a couple of hits out of the ground and it will all come back,' he said, noting that Ghosh delivered in the last warm-up game. 'I'm glad that we're getting into the World Cup with Richa being in form,' the coach added, underlining her value at number 5-6 as a match-finishing option. India's campaign begins on Sunday, with the team and management confident that months of meticulous preparation have them ready for the challenge ahead.