The T20 World Cup gave us self-belief

Harmanpreet Kaur had led a team with newbies—with no experience of playing in an ICC tournament before— to the 2020 Women’s T20I World Cup final. Relaxing at her home in Moga, Punjab, Kaur has had time to think about what went right and wrong for her team. Speaking exclusively with THE WEEK, the Indian skipper says that the gains from the World Cup weigh more than the losses. Excerpts:

- NEERU BHATIA

Q/ How will you sum up the Indian team's World Cup campaign?

A/ It was a very good experience for our team overall. It was a young team, low on experience. Despite that everyone was so keen, giving their best. It was a total team performance, except [for] the final. In the final we had a few lapses, but had we created those opportunities, the result would surely have been different. Our self-confidence as a team has really gone up, given our performance through the tournament. Previously we did not have self-belief. This World Cup showed that we are no less than anyone.

Q/ You mentioned the lapses. Was it just fielding lapses or was it that Australia came hard at India in the final?

A/ I think that was not our day. Nothing went in our favour. No doubt, the Australian team is very good. But we gave them hard competition in the tri-series before the World Cup. I do not think we lost because of the catches dropped or the 90,000-strong crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Throughout the tournament we had got very good support. Our girls, too, wanted a full house for the finals. The first few lapses and not grabbing the chances early on cost us.

Q/ How did you manage the young players in the team?