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

Indian women's ODI team skipper Mithali Raj said the team is focussed on avoiding the qualifiers ahead of the 2021 World Cup but reckoned it will be a major challenge facing World Cup champions England in the absence of injured Harmanpreet Kaur.

The Indian women's team begins its three-ODI series against England at home on Friday in the absence of star player Harmanpreet Kaur, who has been ruled out of the series due to an ankle injury.

Mithali said her team is focused on holding on to its position in the top-four of the world rankings till 2020 to get direct qualification for the 2021 World Cup.

"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.

India had beaten England 2-1 the last time the visitors were here in 2018 but Mithali said facing the visitors without Harmanpreet will show the team's depth.

"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."
"The conditions are different. We'll take a lot of positives and confidence from that series win, but our preparation and strategy differs from what it was in New Zealand."
"In New Zealand they (Indian spinners) did very well and considering the slowness of the wickets, I hope they will do well in these conditions."