Despite back-to-back losses to South Africa and Australia, senior all-rounder Deepti Sharma says morale remains high in the Indian camp ahead of their crucial Women’s World Cup match against England on Sunday at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. India’s campaign hit a rough patch after consecutive three-wicket defeats, leaving them needing two wins from three remaining league games to stay in contention for a semifinal berth.Deepti, however, emphasizes the team’s positive outlook. “We have lost two matches, but our morale is very good because we played two good matches at the start of the tournament. We always go in with a positive mindset and focus more on what we have done well as a team,” she told reporters on Saturday. The composition of India’s bowling attack has come under scrutiny, particularly with only a five-bowler setup in the previous matches. When asked about whether the team would tweak the combination for Sunday, Deepti remained non-committal. “I can’t tell you that. That’s the team management’s call,” she said, leaving room for intrigue over the potential inclusion of a sixth bowler. She added that the bowlers have performed their roles well across different phases. “Different bowlers have stepped up in different matches. They have bowled in various phases, powerplay, middle overs, slog overs and everyone has been performing their roles. We have planned well for tomorrow’s game.” Reflecting on past encounters, Deepti cited India’s 2–1 ODI series win in England as a confidence booster. “The last away series against England gave us a lot of takeaways, and we won there. It’s about applying ourselves on the day. I know their bowling attack and how their batters approach the game, so I try to keep my plans simple,” she said. On her captain Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti expressed full faith despite the skipper yet to make a major impact. “The kind of player Harmanpreet is, she can change a game anytime. In the last ODI against England, she scored a century. She’s a match-winner, and we’re supporting her. She has the ability, and I’m sure we’ll see her perform tomorrow.”
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Deepti also highlighted the team’s preparation for the Indore conditions. “We watched the last couple of matches here and also saw the one between Australia and South Africa. The wicket changed a bit in the last 20 overs, so we have prepared accordingly. We are very positive as a team about how we can back each other and execute our plans.”
