Will India's Women’s Cricket Team Shine Against England in the World Cup?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Fielding under pressure is a key focus for the Indian women's team.
- Innovative training drills simulate match conditions.
- Team aims to enhance confidence after recent defeats.
- Victories in upcoming games are crucial for semi-final hopes.
- Strategic training can significantly impact performance.
Indore, Oct 16 (NationPress) The Indian women’s cricket squad intensified their preparations for the pivotal 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup matchup against England, scheduled for Sunday, with a rigorous fielding practice at the Holkar Stadium.
Following consecutive losses to South Africa and the reigning champions, Australia, in Visakhapatnam, the team, captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, concentrated on enhancing their fielding skills as they aim to reclaim their momentum in this high-stakes match.
“Today’s fielding session aimed to acclimatize to the conditions and practice fielding under pressure. We focused on four key areas: high catches, ground fielding, direct hits, and pressure fielding,” explained fielding coach Munish Bali in a video shared via BCCI's social media platforms.
Players engaged in an intriguing fielding drill designed to refine their execution under stress. “A direct hit earns you two points, while getting the ball inside the net grants three points. The goal is to score a total of 20 points,” he detailed.
“However, there’s a catch: scoring 18 points and then making a mistake on the 19th point resets your score to zero. The pressure we simulate in our training sessions will mirror what they will face during matches,” he added.
“During these small drills, we set targets. For instance, hitting a direct hit scores four points, but missing a catch deducts three points. We aim to cultivate an environment that challenges the players, which greatly aids our training,” he elaborated.
Currently, India holds the fourth position in the points table with four points, while Nat Sciver-Brunt's England leads with seven points. India must secure victories in their remaining league matches against England, New Zealand, and Bangladesh to stay in contention for the semi-finals.