Image Credit- BCCI
Harmanpreet Kaur, the captain of India and the Mumbai
Indians, has stated that domestic players can use the forthcoming second season
of the WPL to establish themselves on the global stage and earn an India
call-up in the run-up to the T20 World Cup later this year.
Harmanpreet, who captained Mumbai in the first WPL championship last season,
had previously led India in three T20 World Cups. India advanced to the
semi-finals in 2018 and 2023 but fell to Australia in the final in 2020.
With the next T20 World Cup slated for
September-October later this year in Bangladesh, Harmanpreet said: “WPL is
the kind of platform where domestic players will get opportunities,” at
the pre-season press conference in Mumbai. “If they do well here then it
means they’re kind of ready for international cricket. It makes things easier
for the BCCI [selectors] because you’ve proven yourself at a good level and
under pressure. If we get to see good talent and performances here, then it’ll
be really good for us [Indian team] to look at such players and give them
opportunities while thinking of the team for the T20 World Cup.
“I think players getting such opportunities will want to grab them with
both hands because if you can perform here then everyone is looking at you and
your performance won’t be wasted, and you’ll get chances going ahead.”
Harmanpreet gave the example of Saika Ishaque, a
left-arm spinner who amassed 15 wickets in her first WPL season and went on to
become the first-ever ODI, T20I, and Test call-up in the same year. Ishaque
first made a memorable WPL debut against Gujarat Giants, finishing with
statistics of 4 for 11. She later donned the purple cap during the league stage
and concluded the competition tied for second place in terms of wicket-taking
with teammates Issy Wong and Amelia Kerr.
“Last year we saw Saika do well and other players too who were picked
later in the team,” Harmanpreet said. “Later on they got
opportunities in the Indian team. So it’s a good platform for players because
if you do well here, you can get picked [for the Indian team].”