By Sahil Kohli

Vadodara (Gujarat) [India], January 26 (ANI): Gujarat Giants and New Zealand star Sophie Devine said on Monday that the Indian women's team ending their World Cup trophy drought last year was great for women's cricket globally and backed them to go on a Australia-like run in women's cricket at some point with world titles coming thick and fast for them.

Sophie was speaking to ANI as her side, Gujarat Giants is battling for a playoff spot in the ongoing Women's Premier League (WPL), sitting at number three in the table with three wins and three losses. While Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), her former team, have made it to the playoffs, the fight for the other two playoff spots remains tight among the remaining teams.

Last year, it was one of the memorable years for cricket fans as men's teams such as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (first-ever Indian Premier League title), South Africa (maiden ICC World Test Championship title and their first world title in any format) broke their long-standing trophy droughts. However, the most impactful trophy win came in women's cricket, as after years of Australian domination at the world stage, Team India, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, overcame the heartbreak of the 2005 and 2017 World Cups to lift their maiden World Cup title across both limited-overs formats of the game. Some of the biggest superstars of the women's game, such as Harmanpreet, Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma and upcoming stars like Krati Gaud and Shree Charani got their moment of glory, which will without a doubt encourage millions of women to dream big and pick up their favourite weapon: bat or ball.

Speaking to ANI, Sophie said that having a billion people offers India a lot of advantage with a 'steady stream' of talent, and India can 'absolutely' go on to have an Australia-like run in women's cricket, which has seen them lift seven women's World Cup titles and six T20 World Cups and are infact a much more dominant force than their men's team in terms of trophies.

'I think when you have got a billion people here, you are going to have a steady stream of talent coming through. So I think it was great for the women's game globally that India broke that drought. I guess it is up to them now to be able to continue that. I think Australia has certainly been the front-runners in terms of their consistency and their ability to win World Cups over a very long period of time. So yeah, I guess now for me, it would be a case of watching as a fan having retired from one day format. But yeah, I think the opportunity is absolutely there for India to go on a similar sort of run,' she said.

Shifting focus to GG's performances, she reflected on what has been an up-and-down 'roller-coaster' season for the team, which started with two wins, spiralled into trouble with three successive losses and increased their playoff chances with a massive win over UP Warriorz while defending 154, with a fantastic three-wicket haul from Rajeshwari Gayakwad bundling out UPW to just 108. However, the veteran added that the team are yet to play their most 'perfect game'.

'I think it has been a bit of a roller coaster so far. We had some really strong wins and then some disappointing losses. But for us, I think there are plenty of positives. I think with the bat, we have had different people step up at different times, which in tournament play, it is really important that you have the whole squad performing at different times. So I think that has been a real positive. I think our bowling in the last two matches have been outstanding,' she said.

'We saw the way Rajeshwari (Gayakwad) came in and took some really key wickets in that last game. Having been on the sidelines, it was really pleasing to see her perform the way she did. So for us, I think there are plenty of positives. I still do not think we have played the perfect game yet. Hopefully, that is still to come, obviously, with two really important group games to go. I think everyone is obviously in a really tight race to make that final three spots,' the veteran added.

Sophie, 36, is enjoying a fine tournament with both bat and ball, scoring 199 runs in six matches at an average of 39.80 and a strike rate of over 160, with two fifties. She is also enjoying a sensational run with the ball, having taken 11 wickets at an average of 16.09, with best figures of 3/31.

Her stint with GG has helped her share the changing room with some rising stars of Indian cricket, such as hard-hitting batter Bharti Fulmali (111 runs in six innings at an average of over 27 at a strike rate of 163-plus), who recently earned a call-up for the tour to Australia starting from February, all-rounders Kanika Ahuja (61 runs in five innings with best score of 35) and Anushka Sharma (89 runs in four matches with best score of 44) and pacer Kashvee Gautam (seven wickets in six matches at an average of 32.85, with best figures of 2/38).

Sophie termed Kashvee as an 'impressive' new ball bowler and is impressed with her work ethic, and termed Bharti's power-hitting as a 'real threat' for other teams. The veteran has enjoyed training with these youngsters so far and the process of different generations picking each other's brains.

'I think that is the great thing about this tournament, the opportunity to work with the local talent. And you have mentioned a handful there that I have been really impressed with. I think Kashvee (Gautam) has been outstanding with the new ball. I think her work ethic is something that's probably stood out to me, and her willingness to want to get better, to learn, to grow her game and seeing the way that she's developed even over this tournament has been something that I have been really impressed with. The way that Bharti's (Fulmali) gone out and has struck the ball, I think she is going to be a real threat,' she said.

'I have seen that she's been selected in the India side for the Tour of Australia, which is a great reward because I think she has been a real threat in this tournament. Kanika has been great as well. I think she is a bundle of energy, and what she has been able to do. And obviously, Anushka coming back from injury, which was an amazing recovery from her. But she is certainly one of these young talents coming through who has great belief and confidence in her ability. So yeah, it has been awesome,' she added.

Sophie is also impressed with the captaincy of her rival in national colours, Australia's star all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner, especially with her 'calm' during tight moments and her game awareness. Both the all-rounders share a fine equation with each other, with the New Zealander often helping the Aussie out with some ideas on the field and serving as a 'sounding board'.

'I have been really impressed with the way that Ash has led this group. I think she's remained incredibly calm, even through some pretty tight moments. The way that she has able to lead and communicate with different players at different stages is something that is going to be really important, especially heading into the crunch point of this season,' she said.

'Her game awareness and game IQ have been really high as well, and her ability to make great decisions on the park is something that is a real positive for this group. So it has been really nice. I have obviously played a lot against Ash, so it is nice to be able to be on the same team and to be able to, I guess, offer support where I can on the field and just be a bit of a sounding board for her in case she needs, any advice or it is, you know, just being able to raise ideas and things like that. I think it is really important that I can offer support where she needs it,' she added.

The New Zealand star has not been able to fire with the bat during both the matches against RCB so far, scoring just 8 and 0, but is excited for a potential title clash with her former franchise, but is cautious about not thinking too far ahead.

'I think that's certainly the aim is to make it through to the finals. As you say, it has been disappointing not to have scored runs against my former team. But yeah, I think it is really exciting (potential final against RCB) and fingers crossed we can get there. But I guess my focus is on these next two games. We have to make sure that we win those so that we have a chance of playing in the final. There is not much point in looking too far ahead at the moment,' he added.

Speaking of the T20 World Cup this year in the UK, and on whether NZ is finally ready to play their most expressive and free brand of cricket, Sophie said that with a busy domestic season in progress at home, there is going to be a lot of competition for spots. She also added that the team knows it has it in them to win at ICC events. The tournament will take place from June-July this year, with Kiwis in a strong Group B with England, West Indies, Sri Lanka and two qualifiers.

'We won a World Cup in 2000 (50-over title when Sophie had not made her debut). So I am not sure we had that monkey on our back like India did (during the 2024 T20 World Cup). But yeah, I think it has really exciting. Obviously, I have not been home very much. So it is hard for me to speak on preparation because I have been playing franchise cricket. But any opportunity to play for New Zealand at a World Cup is a really special time.'

'And for us, we are in the middle of our domestic season back at home in New Zealand. So you know, there is going to be a lot of fighting for spots for that World Cup squad. And then, as you say, hopefully be able to play with a sense of freedom and know that we have got the confidence that we can win these pinnacle events. So it will be a really exciting time,' she added.

This year will mark 20 years of Sophie in international cricket, having made her debut way back in 2006. Since then, Sophie has been the backbone of the White Ferns, having retired from ODIs last year with 4,279 runs in 159 matches and 144 innings at an average of 32.66, with nine centuries and 18 fifties and taking 111 scalps at an average of 36.27. In T20Is, she is still going strong, with 3,431 runs in 146 matches at an average of 28.12 and a strike rate of over 120, with a century and 21 fifties in 142 innings. She is the highest run-getter for NZ in T20Is and overall fifth-most-highest. She has also taken 119 wickets in this format. In all, she is one of the finest all-rounders to have played the sport irrespective of the gender too.

The 36-year-old highlighted that loving and enjoying what one does, the environment in which one play in, helps a player go on for 20 years. She also spoke on how the game has changed from being amateur to fully professional in women's cricket.

'I think I have been really lucky to have played across some different environments. Obviously, the game is fully professional now, whereas when I first started, it was very much amateur, and I guess the requirements and what was required from you as a player has changed a massive amount. I think for me, the enjoyment has always been there and the love of the game, which makes it easier. I think when you love and enjoy the environment that you are in and you love the game, it is pretty easy to turn up for training day in, day out for over 20 years. So yeah, I am not too sure what the secret is. I guess I have just been lucky to have been able to play for so long,' she concluded. (ANI)