Fit-again Harmanpreet Kaur to lead India against Sri Lanka: Smriti Mandhana

India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana on Tuesday said skipper Harmanpreet Kaur will be leading the side against Sri Lanka in the Women's T20 World Cup.

In Short

• Harmanpreet Kaur is fit-again to lead India against Sri Lanka after neck injury
• Harmanpreet had walked off the field while batting on 29 against Pakistan
• India's T20 World Cup hopes in jeopardy following loss to New Zealand

In a major boost for the Indian women's cricket team, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has confirmed that skipper Harmanpreet Kaur will be leading the side against Sri Lanka in their crucial T20 World Cup encounter. Harmanpreet, who retired hurt due to neck discomfort during India’s previous match against Pakistan, has recovered and is ready to play.

Harmanpreet had walked off the field while batting on 29 against Pakistan in a game India won by six wickets. Despite the victory, India’s position in the tournament remains precarious after an earlier loss to New Zealand, which has left them facing potential early elimination.

"She (Harman) is doing fine, and she will be ready for tomorrow's game," Mandhana told reporters on Tuesday.

However, concerns linger over the fitness of all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar, who missed the Pakistan game. Mandhana provided no definitive update on Vastrakar's status, stating that the medical team is still working on her condition.

"Pooja, I think the medical team is still working on her. So, the update will come only tomorrow during the match. But yeah, I don't think I can say anything at the moment," Mandhana said.

Mandhana also reflected on the challenging playing conditions in the UAE, where the slow wickets have made stroke-making difficult for batters. She herself has struggled to find her rhythm, unable to capitalize on her starts in the tournament so far.

India is set to face a confident Sri Lankan side on Wednesday, a team that recently defeated them in the Asia Cup final. With matches still to come against Sri Lanka and Australia, India’s hopes of making the semifinals are hanging by a thread.

The vice-captain acknowledged the importance of balancing between pushing for a strong run rate and securing wins in challenging conditions. India chased down Pakistan’s total of 106 in 18.5 overs, being mindful of the run rate in what could be a tight race for the knockout stage.

"It (run rate) definitely was a factor in the last match, but as I said, the conditions are a lot different to what you expect as a batter. You are probably thinking to get that run rate high, but you have to win the match first—that’s the priority for us," Mandhana explained.

"So, it's about balancing what's best for the team. In the last match, I started fine but then later on I consumed a few dot balls, which was a little irritating for me," she added.

Mandhana also shed light on the team’s strategic adjustments to the conditions, including Harmanpreet’s shift back to the number four position against Pakistan after batting at three in the game against New Zealand.

"The wicket and ground conditions are a lot different from what we expected when we came here. That’s a big factor in deciding the batting order," she said.

The low-scoring nature of the tournament has added to the complexity. "Except for the New Zealand match, we haven't seen any team go over 140 runs in the whole tournament, whether it’s a day or night game. That says a lot about the conditions," Mandhana concluded.

With their semifinal hopes on the line, India will be hoping for a strong performance against Sri Lanka, led by a fit-again Harmanpreet Kaur.