Harmanpreet Kaur keen to have ICC World Championship points across formats

Bengaluru: Indian women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur feels that having ICC World Championship points on offer in a multi-format series, like the women’s Ashes, will make for more closely fought matches. 

“It’s up to the ICC or BCCI but as a player, if these things (points) are there, I think we are more pumped up and makes things more challenging,” Harmanpreet said at the pre-match press conference here on Saturday. 

The 35-year-old provided an injury update on Jemimah Rodrigues and Pooja Vastrakar, and mentioned that India have a very balanced batting order. 

“They are absolutely fine and fit for the game. Jemimah is back and she is someone who is very experienced and she is doing very well for so many years. I think it's a quite balanced batting side,” she said.

Harmanpreet also disclosed how she and the other multi-format cricketers are able to adapt seamlessly, and that ODIs provide time to assess one's abilities and the conditions better.

"ODI is something where as a player you have more time to assess yourself and even the conditions. I think we take it as an opportunity and it's good for us that we are getting more matches expressing ourselves," Harmanpreet said.

"Nowadays we know that we are playing three formats and no doubt we are playing more T20s. Even the WPL is also there. We are taking every match as an opportunity," Harmanpreet added.

India recalled top-order batter Priya Punia and pacer Arundhati Reddy for the ODIs on the back of some consistent displays in the domestic circuit. 

"They (Priya and Arundhati) are performers in domestic (cricket), so, we didn't ignore the way they have been performing from last two to three years. We gave them enough time to prove themselves and get ready for the international games.

“I am really happy the way Arundhati played in the WPL during the last two seasons. Priya has also performed well in domestic cricket especially in ODI format. When they are back, our team gets quite balanced,” she added.

South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt said her batters are gearing up for a high-scoring contest, and to expect an aggressive brand of cricket from her side.

"In the WPL, a lot of the games here (in Bengaluru) were quite high scoring. I think our batters will definitely be licking their lips to get onto that surface tomorrow. It is just about being nice and positive. Playing a brave aggressive brand of cricket is what we are are to do," Wolvaardt said.

"India are a really good side at the moment. But I do believe that we have a very talented side as well and hopefully we're able to find that consistency within this series," Wolvaardt added.

Wolvaardt outlined the importance of having different plans to unsettle the Indian batters. 

"The last time we played on a nice wicket (vs Sri Lanka in Potchefstroom) we failed to defend 300 (302). So it's definitely something that we've spoken about as a bowling unit, just to have a plan B and a plan C if one of their batters do get in like Chamari (Athapaththu) did against us. India have a lot of world class batters so to really analyse their scoring areas and how we can possibly keep them quiet is important. If we have those plans in place then hopefully we're able to execute them," Wolvaardt said.

The 25-year-old detailed how the visitors have prepared extensively to negate the  Indian spinners.

“After the Sri Lanka series (at home) we got together for a few camps. It was actually winter there and some of the wickets we were training on were quite slow and low.

“I think it was actually good preparation for spin. And we got a high load of spin in before we came over. So that sits well enough,” Wolvaardt signed off.