'Girls across the world will look up to you': Tendulkar encourages Women's T20 WC teams

As the Women's T20 World Cup got underway, former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar encouraged all the teams participating in the tournament, and said girls across the world will look to take up sports, looking at the competition.

"I'll be cheering for the team as they take on in the Women's @T20WorldCup today. Best wishes to all the other teams too! Girls across the world will look up to you & be inspired to pick up sports. Happy about @UNICEF's initiative with @ICC to empower women through sports," Tendulkar tweeted.

Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also wished the Indian team good luck ahead of their tournament opener against Australia.

"Good luck to @ImHarmanpreet and her blue brigade for the #T20WorldCup. Put on a show like you always have," Ashwin tweeted.

In the match between India and Australia, the latter won the toss and opted to bowl first.

India playing XI: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Deepti Sharma, Veda Krishnamurthy, Shikha Pandey, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Arundhati Reddy, Radha Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad

Australia playing XI: Alyssa Healy (wk), Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Rachael Haynes, Annabel Sutherland, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Molly Strano, Megan Schutt.

India recently played the Women's tri-series and lost the final against Australia.