Cardiff, June 9 (IANS) India batter Bharti Fulmali believes the team is building momentum at the right time ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, with early preparation and valuable match exposure helping the squad settle into English conditions.

Fulmali’s comments came after India registered a convincing 26-run victory over the West Indies in a tournament warm-up fixture in Cardiff. The middle-order batter played a crucial role in the win, remaining unbeaten on 56 off 40 deliveries as India posted a challenging total before their bowlers completed the job.

Fulmali said the opportunity to feature in warm-up games was proving invaluable ahead of the tournament proper.

“I am very excited because playing in a World Cup is everyone’s dream. It is very important how you perform in the warm-up games because it makes things much easier for the main matches ahead. You get to understand the conditions and the pitches. So winning is very important,” she said in a video shared by Star Sports on X.

The knock was another encouraging sign for the 30-year-old, who has been among the players pushing for a bigger role in India’s T20 setup. Against the West Indies, she arrived at a crucial stage of the innings and anchored the middle order after India’s strong start at the top.

Fulmali credited her recent international opportunities for helping her confidence heading into the World Cup. “Before this, I got opportunities in the Australia series and in South Africa, and that experience is helping me now,” she added.

India have spent significant time acclimatising to conditions in England before the start of the competition, a factor Fulmali believes could prove beneficial as the tournament progresses.

“My preparation has been going according to plan, and our practice sessions have also been very good. We arrived here quite well in advance, which is a big advantage for us. So, we are on the right track,” she mentioned.

India’s comprehensive performance against the West Indies also featured strong contributions from the bowling unit, with the team successfully defending a total of 179. The victory offered another positive indication of the squad’s depth as players continue to stake their claim for places in the playing XI.

With another warm-up fixture against hosts England on the horizon, India will look to fine-tune their combinations further before beginning their quest for a maiden Women’s T20 World Cup title.

–IANS

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