India go into the Women's T20 World Cup as one of the favourites following their ODI World Cup triumph last year, according to batter Jemimah Rodrigues, who believes the title-winning experience has given the team confidence ahead of the tournament in England.
The Women's T20 World Cup begins on June 12, with India opening their campaign against Pakistan in Birmingham on Sunday. New Zealand are the defending champions, while South Africa finished runners-up in the 2024 edition.
Group Stage Details
India are in Group A alongside Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Netherlands. The top two teams from the group will advance to the semifinals.
Jemimah's Confidence
Jemimah, who played a key role in India's first ODI World Cup title at home in 2025, said the experience of winning a global tournament has strengthened the belief within the squad.
"Everyone was a part of it (the ODI World Cup win); they know what pressure feels like and, at the same time, everyone knows that we've crossed the line once and can do it again. That belief rubs off," Jemimah said on JioStar.
"But when you win one, you don't want to stop there. You want to make it two, three, however many you can. Our fans make us feel at home wherever we go. So, yes, we are the favourites, no doubt about that."
The 25-year-old said having several members from the World Cup-winning squad in the current side would help the younger players.
- "Many times, we visualise success so much, but now we've actually lived it. That helps us believe even more that we can do it again."
- "It's great to have so many members from the 2025 World Cup squad in this team, along with a few more youngsters coming in. I think the energy will rub off on them. Everyone is going to share their experiences," she said.
Coach's Perspective
Head coach Amol Muzumdar said the team wants to build a culture of winning and carry that momentum into the T20 World Cup.
"There's pressure in every tournament, and the players are used to it. They've been playing international cricket for some time now. We'll be going in as ODI World Cup champions for the first time."
"Winning is a habit. Over the last three years, we've tried to win every series and to treat each one as extremely important, regardless of who we're playing against."
"Once you get into the habit of winning series, it becomes second nature. The team has been working very hard on this for the past month. I've never seen a team, irrespective of gender, work so hard and be so dedicated towards one goal."
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