The Indian team begins its three-ODI series against England at Wankhede Stadium today in the absence of Harmanpreet Kaur, who has been ruled out of the series due to an ankle injury
Mithali Raj warms up ahead of the first ODI at Wankhede yesterday. Pic/Suresh Karkera
Indian women's ODI team skipper Mithali Raj said the team is focussed on avoiding the qualifiers ahead of the 2021 World Cup but reckoned it will be a major challenge facing World Cup champions England.
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The Indian team begins its three-ODI series against England at Wankhede Stadium today in the absence of Harmanpreet Kaur, who has been ruled out of the series due to an ankle injury.
Mithali said her team is focused on holding on to its position in the top-four of the world rankings till 2020 to get direct qualification for the World Cup. "It's a very important series for us, being No. 3 right now in points table. Points are at stake and I definitely want the team to get direct entry [into the next World Cup]," she said on the eve of the first ODI. Hosts India had beaten England 2-1 last year. "England are a formidable side, being the World Cup champions and they will come strongly at us. We should be playing a positive brand of cricket," said Mithali.
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