India captain Harmanpreet Kaur believes the upcoming T20I series in South Africa will play a vital role in preparing her side for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, offering a chance to refine combinations and assess squad depth.
Speaking ahead of the five-match tour, Harmanpreet highlighted the confidence within the Indian camp following a strong run in white-ball cricket. With an ODI World Cup title and a T20 series win in Australia behind them, she said the team is approaching the series with momentum and a clear mindset.
“Yeah definitely, I think after the ODI World Cup, the team is looking quite confident. Wherever we are going, we are going with full of confidence and we have seen that you know, playing in Australia, against Australia and I think the team is looking in good shape and before the World Cup, South Africa series is very important for us and hopefully here also we will play our best cricket.”
Respect for South Africa’s Strength
India are mindful of the challenge posed by South Africa, a side that has shown consistency in the T20 format. Harmanpreet pointed to their balance and the value of their all-rounders in maintaining flexibility across departments. “South Africa team is, I feel it’s a quite balanced side. They have very good players, they have, you know, good all-rounders who always come up when the team needs. So I think in the T20 format you always need good all-rounders, and they have really good ones.”
Adapting to Conditions in Durban
The team has already begun training in Durban, where conditions are expected to test adaptability. While the weather may feel similar to home conditions, Harmanpreet noted that the pitches present a different challenge, making early adjustments essential. The squad has focused on understanding surface behaviour and shaping combinations during practice sessions.
Focus on Squad Rotation and Depth
With the World Cup approaching, India are keen to give opportunities across the squad to ensure readiness. Harmanpreet emphasised the importance of rotation and preparation for all players. “I think giving opportunity to all the players because before the World Cup, these series are very important where, you know, all the players should get equal opportunity so that when we enter the World Cup we should feel, you know, we are ready with all the players.”
The series also offers valuable exposure for younger players such as Anushka Sharma and Kashvee Gautam. Harmanpreet highlighted their all-round abilities and stressed the importance of integrating emerging talent into the team structure as part of long-term planning.
Selection Decisions and Tactical Approach
Addressing questions around team combinations, including the absence of Vaishnavi Sharma, Harmanpreet explained that selections are influenced by local conditions. The team is balancing the need for additional pace options while maintaining a reliable spin group.
Reflecting on recent performances, she acknowledged that results in Tests and ODIs on the previous tour were not as expected, but the focus remains firmly on the T20 format. “Yeah definitely, look sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but it’s very important you know what is coming forward and keep your focus on that. So yeah, I mean our main focus was T20… the main task is the T20 World Cup and before the T20 World Cup we want to play really good cricket to get our confidence back again.”
Positive Environment and Leadership
Harmanpreet also praised Deepti Sharma following her recognition as Wisden’s leading cricketer of the year, noting that such achievements help inspire the squad and contribute to a positive team environment.
As India gear up for the South Africa series, the tour represents a crucial phase in their World Cup preparations, providing an opportunity to test combinations, integrate emerging players, and build momentum ahead of the global tournament.
