CWG 2022 | Mithali Raj confident of a podium finish for Harmanpreet Kaur's Team India

Former Indian captain Mithali Raj believes that the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Team India have enough ammunition in the task to achieve a podium finish in the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

Cricket is all set to make a return to the Commonwealth Games with top women teams scheduled to compete in a T20 tournament in Birmingham, 24 years after the men's team competed in Kuala Lumpur.

India are placed in Group A which includes world champions Australia, arch-rivals Pakistan and Barbados.

Group B, on the other hand, consists of former champions England, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka.

The Women in Blue recently beat Sri Lanka 2-1 in a T20I series and Mithali, who retired from international cricket earlier this year,  believes that the team is good enough to win a medal provided they prepare well for the championship.

"I think before any big event, preparation is very important. If you prepare well and because it's a T20 format and Commonwealth Games, if you have your tactics and strategies in place we have a great chance to finish on the podium," Mithali Raj said, as quoted by the Indian Express.

India will be led by the experienced Harmanpreet, who has been in the form of her life in recent months.

Harmanpreet has previously led India to the final of the T20 World Cup in Australia back in 2020 and Mithali believes that the Punjab cricketer has enough experience to lead the side at CWG 2022.

"She (Harmanpreet) has been leading in T20s since 2016, so I think she is experienced enough to lead (the team) in the Commonwealth Games," said Raj.

India will kick-start their campaign against powerhouse Australia on July 29. Their much-awaited clash against Pakistan will take place on July 31 while their final league game against Barbados will be on August 03.

2 teams from each group  will qualify for the semi-finals, which are scheduled to take place on August 06 while the summit clash will take place a day later.

In the past few years, the Indian women, just like their male counterparts, have come close to winning a major title but have faltered every time.

Since the start of 2017, India have finished as runners-up in the 2017 50-over WC and 2020 T20 WC besides qualifying for the semis in the 2018 T20I event. 

They endured a disappointing group-stage exit in the recent 50-over WC and will look to shrug off the set-back with a podium finish at the Commonwealth Games.