Bengaluru : Former Australian all-rounder Lisa Sthalekar, currently the mentor of the Women's Premier League (WPL) franchise UP Warriorz, said that she expects Indian batters to dominate the next season of the league following the off-season camp taking place in Bengaluru.
The off-season camp of Women's Premier League (WPL) franchise UP Warriorz is being held in Bengaluru under the stewardship of head coach Jon Lewis, assistant coach Anju Jain, mentor Sthalekar, and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, who are putting the Indian contingent in the squad through the paces.
Ahead of what is expected to be a gruelling season, mentor Lisa has been helping to guide the players about how to side-step and face up to pressure situations. One of the most recognised faces in the world of cricket, the former Australian all-rounder has become an important cog in the wheel for the UP Warriorz, who finished third in the inaugural season in the Women’s Premier League.
Lisa spoke about the importance of the off-season training camp being held in Bengaluru. She said as per a UP Warriorz press release, "It has been great to get the Indian players together to see how things are tracking. With the WPL a yearly tournament and so much cricket taking place in between it is a great touch point so that the coaches can assist and help the players continually get better."
"A great rapport was built in the first season so to then meet up after a few months and keep adding another level will only make this group stronger. The first year was all about getting to know each other and by the end some good friendships formed, so to ensure that it continues to grow camps like this are really important," Lisa added further.
A versatile all-rounder for the Australian Women’s cricket team during her playing days, Lisa went on to talk about what she expects from the Indian players after the camp. She said, "Would love to see them dominate with the bat. They certainly have the talent and the skill, so getting a chance to work on things quite specific to the T20 game now and being put into scenarios where they can problem-solve and see the outcome without the pressure of a match is really important."
A two-time T20 World Cup winner with Australia, Lisa signed off while imparting some crucial words of wisdom for the UP Warriorz players as she said, "Enjoy the season, enjoy the opportunities that you are getting. Plus try not to put any pressure on yourself, just go out there and do what you do well."
Lisa has represented Australia in 54 T20Is, taking 60 wickets and scoring 769 runs at an average of 21.36 with one fifty. She has also scored 2,728 runs in 125 ODIs at an average of 30.65, with two tons and 16 fifties and has taken 146 wickets in the format. In eight Tests, she has scored 416 runs at an average of 32, with one century and two fifties.
In the inaugural season of WPL this year, UP Warriorz made it to the playoffs, losing to Mumbai Indians, the eventual champions in the eliminator.
The team has players like Indian batter Kiran Navgire, Indian U-19 star Shweta Sehrawat, and Deepti Sharma and top international stars like Alyssa Healy, also their captain, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Ecclestone and Shabnim Ismail. (ANI)
