Harbhajan Singh, the former Indian spinner, shared his thoughts on the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, naming the sides that will be the toughest opponents for India. With the marquee already begin in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Harbhajan emphasized that India should be cautious, especially against the sides who have historically been formidable in T20 cricket.

India’s strong prospects for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024

India, under the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, heads into the tournament with a well-balanced mix of youth and experience. The team has shown consistent growth over the past few years, reaching significant milestones, including a runner-up finish in the 2020 edition. This time, India will be looking to go one step further and claim their maiden T20 World Cup title.

Challenging group stage

India finds themselves in a competitive Group A, featuring teams like Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and New Zealand. Each of these teams brings their own strengths, but India have already proven capable of competing at the highest level. The team’s first match against New Zealand will set the tone for the tournament, followed by the much-anticipated clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on October 6. Despite the challenges posed by strong teams in recent times, India’s recent performances in major tournaments suggest they have the potential to emerge on top.

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The ultimate hurdle for India: Harbhajan Singh’s warning

Harbhajan made it clear that Australia will be India’s biggest challenge in the tournament. Despite the games being played on subcontinent pitches that may not favor the Australian style, they remain a potent force. Harbhajan said, pointing to their dominant record of 23 wins out of 32 T20Is against India. He further added that while the conditions in Dubai may favor India slightly, Australia’s experience and winning mentality make them dangerous. Harbhajan identified the India-Australia clash on October 13 as the most critical match for India in the group stages.

“I think India needs to be very careful when playing against Australia. Looking at this group, India has Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. All these matches will definitely be important. But one match that I think will be a little tough is the India-Australia match,” Harbhajan said on Star Sports ahead of India’s first match.

“Australia is a good team, even though these matches are being played in Dubai, on subcontinent pitches that might not suit them as much as their home conditions. But Australia, no matter where they play, are hard to beat. So, the biggest challenge for India maybe Australia,” the 44-year-old added.

A potential upset in the making: Harbhajan’s second choice

Harbhajan also warned India about Sri Lanka, who recently handed India a defeat in the Asia Cup final. The combination of Chamari Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama has turned Sri Lanka into a competitive unit. “Sri Lanka will come into this World Cup with confidence after their Asia Cup win, and that makes them a dangerous side when they face India,” Harbhajan pointed out, adding that India’s match against Sri Lanka could also be a closely fought contest.

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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.