New Zealand captain Sophie Devine has acknowledged India’s status as favourites ahead of their must-win Women’s World Cup clash in Navi Mumbai on October 23, but says her team is ready to embrace the pressure and fight for a place in the semifinals.
The match at DY Patil Stadium on Thursday is effectively a quarterfinal. A win for the hosts would propel India into the top four, while New Zealand need to win both their remaining group fixtures to stay in the race. Devine, who led her side in a home World Cup two years ago, sympathised with the intense scrutiny facing India as tournament hosts. Especially after the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side suffered three consecutive defeats to South Africa, Australia and England.
“In all honesty, I can’t begin to imagine the type of pressure that the Indian team is under. I know when we played at a home World Cup, the pressure that we felt to perform in front of our home crowd, in front of our own country, was at times overwhelming,” Devine told the media on the eve of the game.
“I can’t imagine what that’s like with a billion people tuned into the TV screens and the expectation and the weight that’s on their shoulders. I’ve got real empathy for them having to try and deal with that while also go out and perform. We’re obviously under no illusions that India are still the favourites, without a doubt, and we’ll wear that underdog badge with pride, as Kiwis often do,” she added.
We are really stepping towards that pressure: Devine
Still, the experienced Kiwi skipper is confident in her team’s ability to focus on their strengths and block out distractions, including concerns over weather or the overwhelming home support.
“We know the pressure that India are under at home, but we’re just going to go out there and, again, control what we can control and make sure we stick to what we do well as a Kiwi side.
New Zealand have not won in their last two outings and face the daunting task of beating India in front of what is expected to be a capacity crowd, with nearly all support behind the home team. Devine said she and fellow veteran Suzie Bates are prepared to lead from the front and help the younger players handle the pressure.
With DY Patil Stadium hosting just its second-ever women’s ODI, Devine is expecting conditions to favour batters. The stadium previously hosted matches during the Women’s Premier League and has a reputation for quick outfields and high scores.
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