5 March - Tauranga - India Captain Mithali Raj pre-match press conference

Reporter: Good luck for the tournament. There'll be plenty of questions in regards to the fixture itself – India versus Pakistan, Super Sunday. A lot of people talking about it. But first of all, playing in the same location as the tournament opener yesterday. First of all, what did you make of that and the Bay Oval conditions Did you notice anything here that might have been different to the rest of your preparation in New Zealand?

Mithali: I think to start it was a great opening game West Indies versus the host New Zealand and the match went till the wire, so everybody, we were all watching it on television and yes, there have been few takeaways with the conditions and the way the wicket behaved throughout the match and likewise we’ve prepared ourselves for tomorrow's game.

Reporter: Gomesh – Hi Mithali - in 2005 was the first time you captained in the World Cup and it was Jhulan Goswami’s first World Cup. Since then you have played four World Cup with her including the last one where we almost won the trophy. Talk to us about the journey through the four ODI World Cup’s and what it means to you here with her again in your sixth and her fifth World Cup?

Mithali: I think we've both been part of the dressing room for quite some time, we've enjoyed you know representing our country and have faced a lot of victories and defeats. And I think it's just great to have her with me playing this World Cup and over the years she's been the frontline bowler of India, and have delivered each time I've given her a ball - so her experience as a fast bowler will always be very helpful to the team and to the young speedsters in the side - getting into this World Cup.

Reporter: After two warm up games how settled does the team feel in its plans?

Mithali: Well see - every time we play a World Cup every game is very different - different locations, different conditions, different opponent. So yes, we've tried to give everybody a go in the warm up game. So that everybody gets into the rhythm, the form the core players - and for tomorrow's game I think all of them have been watching the first opening game and everybody have the set plans. And when we get into a big event like this all we can take is the confidence into the World Cup. It's all about creating a momentum and rhythm as players and as a unit.

Reporter: Also, is Shafali’s shaky start a concern? Did you speak to her about her shot selection and batting overall?

Mithali: I think getting into the World Cup as I just said it's important that all of us have to get in with a clean slate from the past series or the warm up games - all we can take is confidence and how you negotiate the conditions in the middle, how you play according to situation is just very important. And we've been seeing that even in today's game. So I'm sure that Shefali being a very talented kid, she understands her own game and she will come through.

Reporter: Lastly, will Deepti bat at three, followed by you at four and Herman at five?

Mithali: Well I'm sure you will get to see that tomorrow.

Reporter: My question to you is – a lot has been spoken about Harmanpreet Kaur’s form, but in the last two matches, which she has they played she has made 63 and got 100, so how well does it offer for your team that Harmanpreet is getting runs?

Mithali: Well it is important, she is one of the core members of the side and her experience does matter in the middle. When she comes into the middle order where a lot of players - she tends to play with the tail as well because she comes in the middle overs and with the game that she has, it's very important that you know she comes into form because we are looking at scoring very high in the top order.

So you know it is good to see her among runs just before the tournament.

Reporter: And also have you identified what exactly the biggest challenge for your team for Pakistan. The biggest challenge for the Indian team coming from Pakistan?

Mithali: See, I think if you look at it Pakistan is also a good side. I'm sure they've prepared very hard for the tournament. And so have we - every team here we can't take any team lightly so I wouldn't say challenges but we will get into playing every game with a lot of intensity and with a lot of confidence.

Reporter: So this is the first time you will be playing Pakistan in a 50 over games since the 2017 World Cup keeping all the hype that is there around the India Pakistan game aside, how excited is the group is about playing an opponent that you don't get to play that frequently. And have the preparations been any different or is there a sense of unknown going into the game?

Mithali: I think as a team we are excited to get into the World Cup and starting our campaign tomorrow. So it's the first game - we are not looking at - it's a Pakistan we are playing against. We're looking at a team which has come prepared and we are equally prepared to put our best foot forward and we want to set a momentum going into the tournament, so that's how we look at our first game

Reporter: A big question first, is everyone available fit and available for the match? And then my other question is we've seen in the past that 2013 the scoring rate of the tournament went about 4 and 2017 the scoring rate of the tournament was 4.6. around that. Are you expecting like based on what we saw yesterday with both teams scoring 250 - are you expecting this to be a really high scoring tournament? And how do bowlers figure in that sort of trend where you know we keep seeing the scoring rate go up?

Mithali: Well, see I mean the first game and even today watching England versus Australia I think the wicket is definitely helpful to the batters but yeah 250 is something every team is looking at to put up but it's equally important to have a set batter playing throughout the innings because the wicket is a little on a slower side so it's not something that a new batter can come in and straightaway get to scoring runs. Having said that the bowlers also have - they can use the variations on these wickets. So it's not completely a belter of a wicket I would say - to start off the tournament it is good that they're posting totals from 250 but as the tournament goes on, I think so I'm assuming that it might come down a little with the wickets tend to be used more.

Reporter: And is everyone fit and available for tomorrow?

Mithali: Yes, everybody are.

Reporter: It's been a really long build up, you know with the postponement of the World Cup and there's been a lot of chat around you and Jhulan getting to this tournament, how relieved are you considering all that to finally kind of be able to concentrate on the cricket?

Mithali: Well, I think when the tournament was postponed, we did have a bilateral series so it was - our focus was definitely on preparing well for the tournament. So it was more of doing well in those bilateral series and it's good to, you know, now come closer to the tournament just a day more to go for our first game against Pakistan tomorrow. So we are - we are all excited. So is Jhulan and me and we are looking forward to putting up a good show.

Reporter: Could you talk a bit about how Deepti Sharma has evolved as a key player for you. You know, if you look back at her 2017 ODI World Cup campaign, she was one of India's best performers. How do you see her go about in this particular tournament and behind the scenes - she was she was the vice-captain for one match. How have you seen this young kid who came into the Indian side under you she debut under you and how have you seen her evolve over the past few years?

Mithali: I think Deepti is a very you know, mentally very strong player. This is my personal opinion about her. Because over the years from the time when she made her debut as a youngster, as a top quarterback where she's opened and she's gone one down and two down, she has a record partnership with Poonam Raut as an opener. And from there, whenever we shuffled her in the batting order, she's always come good in whatever order she has played. And she's never complained about getting a slot higher up the order. But having said that, she's the all-rounder in the side and a very important link between - in the composition of the 11, and I think in a couple of years - we've not really used her as a batter at the top, she's been exceptionally good with her off spin. So this tournament, we're looking at using her as a pure all-rounder where she contributes up the order as well and with the bowling.

Reporter: Where do you've see her ranked among the all-rounders that we have in the Women's International game at the moment, we have the likes of Sune Luus, the pace bowling all-rounder, Deepti is also among the top - Would you agree with that?

Mithali: Definitely yes, because each time she's given an opportunity she has performed whether it is with a bat or with the ball.

Reporter: So you're already spoken highly of Richa. So in the World Cup as well, are you looking to send her high up the order, you know, somewhere at three or four? If the openers give us a good start?

Mithali: It's something that we can look forward to during the tournament, but it all depends on how the team does because we can't really talk about it right now even before playing our first game. So she's yes talented. She's been getting us those runs, but it's also important to give her a slot to settle down and then probably try out these things.

Reporter: What's been the message to the team from you as a captain, ahead of a big tournament like this?

Mithali: I think as a team, we need to get in with a clean slate, confident unit. And, you know, believe that we can always turn things around and play according to the situation. It's very important when you have a longer tournament - important to be present. Be aware on the ground. And play according to the situation. Thank you