Team focused on getting direct entry into 2021 World cup: Mithali

Indian women's ODI team skipper Mithali Raj said the team is focused on avoiding the qualifiers ahead of the 2021 World Cup

Indian women's ODI team skipper Mithali Raj said she wanted the Indian women team to get direct entry into the 2021 World Cup by avoiding the qualifiers but reckoned facing England in the absence of star injured player Harmanpreet Kaur should emphasise that India, as a batting unit, should take the added responsibility and whoever gets the opportunity should play that role.

Harmanpreet Kaur has been ruled out of the series due to an ankle injury. The Indian women's is scheduled to play a three-ODI series against England at home on Friday.

"It's a very important series for us, being number three right now in points table. Points are at stake and I definitely want the team to get direct entry (into the next World Cup). It's important to get as many points as possible from the series," she said on the eve of the series.

"England are a formidable side, being the World Cup champions and they will come strongly at us. We should be playing a positive brand of cricket," said Mithali.

"They've got their senior players back into the squad, and we are without one of our senior players. But this series will also show how we meet this challenge. It will reflect the depth of our team."

On the absence of Harmanpreet, Mithali said the injured player will be missed but her absence also provides chance to the youngsters to come good.

"She is one of the main players in the team for a long time, but it is also an opportunity for young players in the team to rise up and use the opportunity to step up and perform," said the India captain.

"Harman is not there because of injury. I should emphasise that we, as a batting unit, should take the (added) responsibility and whoever gets the opportunity should play that role," she added.

For a direct entry into the World Cup, Mithali and company need to hold on to their position in the top-four of the world rankings till 2020.

The equation becomes a bit more complex in the wake of the terror attack by a Pakistan-based terror-outfit in Pulwama in Kashmir and the outrage it has given rise to all over the country.

Now there's a distinct possibility that the Indian team may not line up against Pakistan and Mithali said she was aware of this sort of scenario.

"It's always been in our minds that we probably won't play Pakistan, and that's why, whatever matches we play against whoever, we should be going in by keeping in mind that we need those points," she remarked.

(With PTI Inputs)