Women's WT20 | India have exciting squad but we won last series against them, reminds Sophia Dunkley
Sophia Dunkley has served a stern warning to India ahead of their crucial encounter in the World T20, reminding the opponents of the result the last time the two sides met. The opener further outlined the team's approach to the event before talking briefly about Engaland's expectations from it.
England would square off against India in an important ICC Women's World T20 group-stage encounter at St George's Park in Gqeberha on Saturday. Both sides, along with Australia of course, are amongst the favourites to triumph in the competition and have developed quite a fierce rivalry in the last few years. The two sides even met in the World Cup final in 2017 and even though the Europeans emerged victorious in the summit clash, the Women in Blue have since outplayed their fancied foes in several crucial encounters.
Last year itself, India knocked out England from the Commonwealth Games in their own backyard but then went on to lose a three-match T20I series 2-1 albeit they did manage a whitewash in the ODIs. Nevertheless, English opener Sophia Dunkley expressed confidence in her team's chances on the eve of the encounter, highlighting the fact that her team had played with a depleted squad in their last few meetings.
"They've got a really exciting squad and they've done really well, but we won our T20 series against them last summer with some of our main players not there, so that gives us a lot of confidence," Dunkley was quoted saying by BBC.
"We're definitely ready and excited to take it on," she added.
The 2009 champions kicked off their tournament emphatically, cruising past the West Indies by seven wickets. An entertaining successful low-scoring chase against Ireland followed, even as the inaugural WPL auction took place on the other side of the world with Dunkley joining the Gujarat Giants for ₹60 lakhs. In both games the side showed tremendous flair, scoring at 9.51 and 7.49 runs per over respectively.
"We've got a bit of a fresh outlook for this competition, we want to be aggressive and brave with the bat. We've stuck to that really well. We could be a little more clinical, but the way we're playing is exactly what we want," Dunkley explained.
Given both sides have won their two encounters so far, the winner of the meet is more than likely to finish on top of the table thus potentially setting up a semi-final encounter with Sri Lanka, New Zealand or South Africa while the loser is expected to play dominant Australia. The Kangaroos have won five of the seven Women's World T20s that have taken place and failed to make the final only once.
"We're going to have to beat them whether it's in a semi or a final, so it doesn't make too much difference," a seemingly indifferent Dunkley stated. "We're in a good place as a team and we're ready to take on anyone at the minute.”