Women's World T20: Ex-coach Ravi Shastri bullish on India women's chances of winning ICC trophy

Former India men's team coach Ravi Shastri, in the latest episode of the ICC Review, has predicted huge things for the Indian women's team in the near future, including a win in the ICC tournaments. The comments come on the back of ICC Women's T20 World Cup where India starts the campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on February 12 in Cape Town. The former all-rounder said the women in blue are not far away from winning an ICC trophy, and that it could open a pandora box like it did for the Men in Blue when they beat the mighty West Indies in 1983 World Cup final in England.

"I've always said the biggest thing that's going to happen in women's cricket, and the women's team is (not) that far away. I've kept saying it for the last six, eight months (India's women's team) are not that far away from winning a big one," said Shastri. "They've threatened, they've reached finals, they've lost some close games, but they're there.”

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“I know what happened in 1983, when we won the World Cup, it opened up a Pandora's Box. The whole look at the game changed, you know, the way players were perceived, the way the game was perceived, the way people wanted. To pack the system, the way the monetisation of the sport changed overnight," he added.

The World Cup winner himself Shastrialso seemed hugely impressed with the recent U19 World Cup victory of the women's side led by Shafali Verma and said the victory inspired a lot of young cricketers.

“I see that happening with the women's cricket. Now, under-19 is just a step. It was fabulous to see the way the young girls played, and won. And, especially the final, to beat a team like England, bowl them out for 68 and then do the job was an outstanding achievement and that spurred a lot of young cricketers to take the sport," said Shastri.

Meanwhile, India would be without their ace opener SmritiMandhana for the marquee clash after the southpaw was ruled out due to a finger injury sustained during a warm-up game against Australia.

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