Look back at India’s World T20 journey ahead of campaign in Australia

India is one of the strongest sides in the upcoming World T20, starting in Australia from 21 February. Despite having performed well quite a few times, they have never reached the final of the tournament. With a balanced side this time around, they are expected to turn the table. Here is a look back on how the team has performed in the previous editions of the T20 World Cup.

2009 in England

(Matches: 3, Wins: 2, Loss: 1)

Lost in the knockout stage.

The inaugural edition of ICC Women’s World Cup witnessed India reach the semi-finals but they failed to make their plan work in the semis. They were placed in Group B along with England, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Jhulan Goswami (Image: ICC)

Jhulan Goswami-led India started with a humiliating defeat to England where they managed to put up 112 runs in 20 overs – a total which England chased down within 16 overs without losing any wickets. However, they bounced back well and registered convincing victories against Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

While a fifer from Priyanka Roy sealed the deal against their arch-rival, it was Mithali Raj’s quickfire, 32 of 22 that steered India to a win against Sri Lanka. However, they failed to win against New Zealand in the semi-final where the then New Zealand captain Aimee Watkins smashed an unbeaten 89 off 58 and helped her side to win the game.

2010 in West Indies

(Matches - 3, Win – 2, Loss – 1)

Mithali Raj (Image: ICC)

Lost in the knockout stage

Like the previous edition, India once again faced the defeat at the knockout stage. They were placed in Group B along with New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. Once again, India started the campaign with a defeat despite having a four-wicket haul from Diana David, a 36-ball 44 from Mithali Raj and a quickfire 16-ball 28* from Amita Sharma in the lower-order. But that was not enough to win the game and they eventually lost the game by 10 runs.

Though they registered an easy win against Pakistan in the next game on the back of Priyanka Roy’s three-wicket haul and a run-a-ball 54 from Punam Raut and against Sri Lanka, it was an all-round show where Sulakshana Naik (59 off 54) and Mithali Raj (52 off 39) smashed the fifties and another four-wicket haul came from Diana David helped them win the match by 71 runs, their knockout stage woes continued as they lost to Australia in the semi-final where the then Australia captain Alex Blackwell scored 61 off 49 and win the game for her side.

2012 in Sri Lanka

(Matches - 3, Win – 0, Loss – 3)

Poonam Raut (Image: Free Press Journal)

Lost in the group stage

India had the worst campaign in 2012 where they lost all of their group league games against England, Australia, and Pakistan. Apart from a fifty from Punam Raut against England, there was nothing from the Indian side. Even their defeat against Pakistan was the most humiliating one where they lost by a mere 1 run and failed to register a single win in the whole tournament.

2014 in Bangladesh

(Matches - 4, Win – 2, Loss – 2)

Failed to reach the semi-final

This edition witnessed two more teams in the tournament where India was placed in Group B alongside England, West Indies, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.

Harmanpreet Kaur (Image: ICC)

India started the campaign with a loss against Sri Lanka where a poor batting cost them the game. Another batting woe took place against England as well where only Mithali Raj managed to score 57 off 56 and eventually posted 95 on the boards in 20 overs. England chased down the total with ease. However, they registered two consecutive wins in the next two games against Bangladesh and West Indies where Mithali Raj, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Punam Raut scored the fifties.

However, these two wins left them facing Pakistan in the play-off where Mithali once again stood up with a stable 39. Along with her, a 3-wicket haul from Sonia Dabir and 2 wickets each from Poonam Yadav and Sravanthi Naidu restricted Pakistan within 100, registering a 6-run win.

2016 in India

(Matches - 4, Win – 1, Loss – 3)

Lost in the group stage

Having started with a bang against Bangladesh, claiming a whopping 72 runs win, many thought India will pose a great threat to the opponents – England, West Indies, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

However, they failed to live up to their expectations. In a rain-hit game against Pakistan, India managed to post mere 96 in 20 overs. Pakistan won the game by 2 runs in the DLS method.

Indian Women's Cricket Team (Image: DNA)

A spin battle took place against England where Heather Knight took 3 wickets and India posted a mere 90 runs in their allotted 20 overs. However, the spin sensation Ekta Bisht had some other plans. She took 4 wickets and Kaur took 2 and took the game to the penultimate over but that wasn’t enough as England won the game by 2 wickets.

Kaur’s 4-wicket haul and Anuja Patil’s 3 restricted Windies within 111 but lack of partnership in the batting cost them a 3-run defeat in the game. With this, they ended the tournament as the second-last in their group.

2018 in West Indies

(Matches - 4, Win – 1, Loss – 3)

Lost in the knockout stage

From 2016 to 2018, there was a huge change in the Indian set up. They played the 50-overs World Cup as an underdog but finished as the runner-up where they lost by 9 runs in the final.

Indian Women's Cricket Team (Image: ICC)

Their hard work finally paid off as they made everyone seat and notice them.

While their pace-spearhead Jhulan Goswami announced her retirement from the T20 format, a lot of youngsters earned their maiden call-up. The world witnessed a brand new Indian team where the expectations were high after their breathtaking 2017 World Cup.

They didn’t let down the fans as India started the campaign with a blistering win over New Zealand. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur smashed a 51-ball 103 and became the first Indian woman and third across the globe to do so. Youngster Jemimah Rodrigues stood up with 45-ball 59 and 3 wickets each from Poonam and Dayalan Hemalatha sealed the deal for India.

Despite Bismah Maroof and Nida Dar’s fifties, great spells from Indian spinners and a well-made 56 off 47 from Mithali Raj steered India to a convincing win against Pakistan.

Against Ireland, once again spinners and Mithali took the team to the finish line convincingly. With this, they reached the semi-final as well. Surprisingly, they won their final group league game against Australia. A blistering 83 off 55 and a quickfire 43 off 27 from Kaur took India to a decent total of 167 in 20 overs. Although this was not a hard task for a team like Australia, it was India’s spin department that took the side to the finish line. Anuja Patil bagged 3 while Deepti Sharma, Poonam, and Radha scalped 2 each.

But they faced a huge setback in the semi-final against England. Apart from Mandhana’s 34, others failed to contribute and eventually bundled out within 112. Later, half-centuries from Nat Sciver and Amy Jones helped England win the game convincingly.

It will be interesting to see whether they manage to work on their loopholes, reach the final and win the trophy or history repeats itself.