With an eye on semi-final spot, overwhelming favourites India take on Ireland in their penultimate Group B match of the 2018 ICC Women's World T20 at Guyana on Thursday.
With two wins in two outings, against title contenders New Zealand and arch-rivals Pakistan, Indian women are high on confidence. But Harmanpreet Kaur and Co will need to avoid complacency when they play minnows Ireland at Providence Stadium.
Skipper Harmanpreet declared open the tournament with her blazing hundred against New Zealand at the Providence, the same venue where India will face Ireland.
Ireland, on the other hand, have lost to both Australia and Pakistan. But Kaur is aware that her team cannot afford to take things for granted in this mega-event.
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Ireland cricket is known for its fighting abilities and taking them lightly will not be the way to go for India, with qualification to the last-four knocking on their doors.
Having eased past Pakistan a couple of days after the big win against the New Zealanders, India will nevertheless fancy their chances at the Providence.
If Kaur was the star of the opening win, the team's most experienced campaigner, Mithali Raj, showed the way in the seven-wicket win over Pakistan.
While Jemimah Rodrigues started her T20 career with a fine half-century, the likes of Smriti Mandhana and Veda Krishnamurthy will look to score some runs against Ireland.
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In bowling, off-break bowler Dyalan Hemalatha and leg-spinner Poonam Yadav shone with 10 wickets among them so far, and the seamers will look to get going in the coming games.
Squads:
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana, Mithali Raj, Jemimah Rodrigues, Veda Krishnamurthy, Deepti Sharma, Taniya Bhatia, Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav, Anuja Patil, Ekta Bisht, Dayalan Hemalatha, Mansi Joshi, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy
Ireland: Laura Delany (ct), Kim Garth, Cecelia Joyce, Isobel Joyce, Shauna Kavanagh, Amy Kenealy, Gaby Lewis, Lara Maritz, Ciara Metcalfe, Lucy OReilly, Celeste Raack, Eimear Richardson, Clare Shillington, Rebecca Stokell, Mary Waldron.
Match starts at 8.30 PM IST.
(PTI)
