The Women’s World Cup 2025 is just weeks away, set to take place in India and Sri Lanka. The 50-over tournament will begin on September 30 in Bengaluru, featuring an opening clash between the two host nations. With less than 50 days remaining, former India star Yuvraj Singh has shared an inspiring message for the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian women’s squad. He advised the team to shut out external distractions and unleash their full capabilities.
Yuvraj opened up about a lesser-known experience from the 2011 Men’s World Cup, where India won the trophy despite facing immense pressure. He recalled how Sachin Tendulkar and coach Gary Kirsten had devised a strategy to keep the team mentally focused after India’s loss to South Africa in the group stage.
“I will give you an example of what we felt at that time. Until then, no country had won the World Cup at home, and it had been 28 years since we won a World Cup. I remember we tied the game against England and we lost to South Africa, from a winning position. We got a lot of backlash,” Yuvraj revealed at an event in Mumbai.
He continued, “I remember Sachin Tendulkar and coach Gary Kirsten coming and having a chat with us – ‘From here on what are the things we need to do to win the tournament – no one is going to watch TV; no one is going to read the newspaper; when you walk towards the ground put your headphones on, to focus on the field. While going back to your room, put your headphones back on. Cut the noise and try to do what you need to do to win the tournament.”
Overcoming Pressure: Lessons from 2011
As the 2011 World Cup Player of the Tournament, Yuvraj urged the Indian women’s team to concentrate on the present moment. India’s women had previously reached the 2017 World Cup final but lost to England, while in the 2022 edition, they were eliminated in the group stage.
“It’s about ‘being in the moment, and let’s try to do this as a team’. We did that and it worked. I am not saying it is going to work for you as well. I am just saying that the team has to focus on something which makes everyone believe that ‘if we do this, it might work for us’,” he explained.
Fostering Team Spirit and Confidence
Yuvraj highlighted the importance of believing in each other’s abilities, saying, “Every time you walk into a game you have to believe you want to win the game for your country. If Smriti gets out, then Harman has to say I am going to shine, if Harman gets out then she should believe that Jemimah is there. You have got to believe as a team, every time I walk out to bowl or bat I am the person who is going to make the difference. If all 11 believe that, then the results will follow.”
The Indian women’s cricket team now prepares with renewed focus and confidence as they aim to claim the Women’s World Cup 2025 on home soil.
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