India bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi said the two warm-up matches ahead of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup gave the squad valuable exposure and a confidence boost before their tournament opener against Pakistan in Birmingham on Sunday. Speaking from Cardiff on Thursday, Salvi highlighted individual performances and collective gains from the build-up phase as India gear up for one of the toughest group stages in the competition.

A Mixed But Meaningful Build-Up

India's preparation heading into the tournament was far from straightforward. The side lost to South Africa 4-1 and to England 2-1 in bilateral series. In the warm-up games, they beat the West Indies comfortably but fell short against England by 5 runs, having chased to 166 while defending a target of 170.

'I think these two warm-up games were a good exposure to all of us. We could use this, actually, to express our game plans in the middle. Bowlers could go out there and express their game plans, and batters also. They went inside they tried out their plans,' Salvi said in a video posted on bcci.tv.

Group of Death Awaits India

India have been drawn in Group 1, widely described as the 'Group of Death', alongside six-time champions Australia, South Africa, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and debutants the Netherlands. The group represents arguably the most competitive pool in the 12-team tournament, making every game a high-stakes encounter for the 50-over World Cup winners.

Salvi noted that the first priority remains winning, but the warm-ups also served a second purpose. 'The first intention is to win the game. Second intention is to give exposure to almost all the players who we think are going to participate in the World Cup,' he said.

Individual Standouts in Warm-Up Phase

Salvi was effusive about several players who used the warm-up window productively. He singled out Shreyanka for performing 'brilliantly' across both matches, praised Radha for picking up wickets at a good economy rate in her first game, and called Kranti 'brilliant'.

On the batting front, Bharti made the most of the West Indies fixture to get runs under her belt, while Richa's knock in the England warm-up drew particular praise. 'The way she batted was excellent. I mean, she almost got us the game,' Salvi said.

Acclimatisation the Key Takeaway

Beyond individual performances, Salvi emphasised the value of adapting to English conditions — a critical factor in a tournament being played in the United Kingdom. 'From the preparation and acclimatisation point of view, the game plans that suit these conditions, you get used to these conditions. I thought that was brilliant,' he said.

With the three-match series against England, the Cardiff camp, and the two warm-up fixtures now complete, Salvi expressed confidence that the squad is primed. 'I think all the girls, I think they are ready for the challenges ahead,' he added. India's campaign begins against Pakistan in Birmingham on Sunday.