New Delhi, Oct 3 (IANS): The Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, which got underway in Sharjah on Thursday afternoon, will see ten teams rely on their experienced and younger players to lead them to glory at the Dubai International Stadium on October 20. From an Indian perspective, wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh will be pivotal to the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side’s chances of getting their first-ever trophy and making it a rare double of one country holding T20 World Cup titles across both genders in the same year.

Richa, 21, played a crucial role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru qualifying for the playoffs in this year’s Women’s Premier League (WPL) and eventually hit the winning runs to help the team get its maiden title in New Delhi with a win over Delhi Capitals in the final.

Her power-packed finishing skills with the bat, along with being a handy keeper behind the stumps, will be crucial in India’s quest to keep itself strong and close out matches, especially when it matters the most.

In T20Is this year, Richa has scored 240 runs in nine innings, the third-highest runs by an Indian batter, with a whopping strike rate of 157.9. Her average stands at 48, which is the second-best among batters playing in the T20 World Cup after Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu (48.2).

Hailing from Siliguri in West Bengal, Richa made her T20I debut against Australia in Melbourne in 2020. Playing in her second Women’s T20 World Cup, Richa made a real impact in last year’s tournament in South Africa through her unbeaten knocks of 44 and 47.

With India placed in the tougher of two groups alongside Australia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Pakistan in Group A, the side will be banking on Richa’s aggressive batting skills and quick scoring rate, as the world awaits with bated breath the sight of her racing through to make her team win – starting from the clash against New Zealand on October 4 in Dubai.