Our Sports Reporter
GUWAHATI: Despite an impressive run in their warm-up fixtures, England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt remains cautious as her team prepares to face South Africa in their ICC Women’s World Cup opener at the ACA Stadium here on Friday.
Addressing the media at a pre-match press conference on Thursday, Sciver-Brunt emphasized the unpredictability of the game and stressed that no team would be taken lightly.
“Winning all our warm-up matches is definitely a positive, but we know that we can’t underestimate anyone. Those games gave us some confidence, but there will definitely be nerves going into the first match.”
The England skipper acknowledged the growing competitiveness of women’s cricket and said the tournament was wide open. “We’ve already seen in the first couple of games in the competition that it’s the teams that hold their nerve under pressure that come out on top,” she noted.
Speaking about their opening opponents, Sciver-Brunt praised South Africa’s strength. “They have some brilliant players, and we know we’ll need to put in a strong performance,” she said.
However, she expressed confidence in her side’s strengths, particularly praising England’s spin department. The captain said. “I believe our spinners can really put pressure on teams during the middle overs.”
Meanwhile, South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt also looked forward to the high-profile clash. She said, “We’re keen to get off to a strong start tomorrow.”
Laura also added: “We have a good mix of experienced players and exciting young talent. Our preparation has been good.”
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