During a captains' joint-press conference in Dambulla, the India skipper Harmanpreet's statement stood out among the largely monotonous and Sri Lankan-dominated dialogue. She emphasised the importance of maintaining their winning style in the Women's Asia Cup, acknowledging the challenge of dominating other teams while enjoying the games. Despite their successful history in the tournament, Harmanpreet showed no hint of over-confidence.
India has been a dominant force in the Women's Asia Cup, winning seven out of the eight editions, with their only loss coming in a thrilling final against Bangladesh in 2018. As they begin their title defence against Pakistan, a team with whom they share a historic rivalry, India is prepared for a tough challenge. Although the women's game has fewer matches and a wider quality gap between teams, recent encounters between India and Pakistan have been hard-fought battles.
While the upcoming T20 World Cup is the primary focus, Harmanpreet emphasised that the Women's Asia Cup is not just a warm-up event, but a tournament they are determined to win once again. India's recent T20I series against South Africa highlighted both positives and areas for improvement, which they will need to address in order to succeed in the Asia Cup.