Mandhana pleased with options for India at Champions Trophy
Smriti Mandhana is thrilled with how her side is shaping up ahead of next year's Champions Trophy event.
Pic: Faheem Hussain / CREIMAS for BCCI
India captain Smriti Mandhana believes her team is building well for next year's inaugural ICC Women's Champions Trophy on home soil.
The Asian side warmed up for the six-team tournament they will host in February next year with a T20I series sweep at home against Zimbabwe, with their 92-run victory in Raipur on Tuesday confirming the comprehensive 3-0 result.
India used a variety of different combinations across the three-game series, with Nandani Sharma (six scalps), Kranti Gaud (three) and Niki Prasad (three) among those to impress with the ball as Mandhana called upon a total of six individual bowlers.
With conditions during the Zimbabwe series likely to mirror what sides will face during the Champions Trophy event at the start of next year, Mandhana thinks her team is well placed for success.
"It (bowling options) is looking good for sure," Mandhana said.
"We were all looking in a way where dew is playing its part again.
"We're going to have the next three months going ahead there's going to be a lot of dew until we approach the Champions Trophy so the kind of combination we need and the bowlers - the more the merrier. I'm really happy and pleased with the way Niki, Shafali (Verma), everyone chipped in."
Another positive to come from the Zimbabwe series for India was the performance of former skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, with the veteran batter hitting an unbeaten 91* in the series finale in what was her first meaningful combination since giving up the captaincy to Mandhana earlier this month.
Harmanpreet smashed five sixes and 10 fours during her quickfire 41-ball innings against Zimbabwe and the 37-year-old suggests she is now starting to play with more freedom given she no longer has the extra responsibility of being captain.
"I don't think there is any pressure anymore. I think now it's all about enjoying myself on the field and I think that's what I want to do," Harmanpreet said at the post-match presentation.
"I definitely enjoy myself in the middle and this is what I'm here for. I just want to enjoy my batting, and good that those runs came."
Series schedule:
First T20I: October 16, Raipur (India won by four wickets)
Second T20I: October 18, Raipur (India won by nine wickets)
Third T20I: October 20, Raipur (India won by 92 runs)