Indian players have been working on their mental strength for a “long time” which should help the team in overcoming hurdles, says skipper Harmanpreet Kaur ahead of the upcoming women’s T20 World Cup next month.

India, who finished as runner-up in the 2020 edition of the tournament, are placed in Group A along with six-time winners and defending champions Australia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

Kaur said on Monday that the Indian players have been working on the mental aspect to bring out their best in crucial moments.

“We have been working on mental strength for a long time. The last 3-4 overs are the most crucial. T20 cricket is not a small format; at the end of the day, you are playing 40 overs,” Kaur told Star Sports.

“In the last 4-5 overs, the team that is mentally strong wins the match. We have been focusing on this for a while. If we can remain mentally stable in those final five overs, we can execute what’s best for us.”

India’s performances in summit clashes have featured in discussions given the team lost in the 2020 final by 85 runs to Australia, while England had pipped them by a mere nine runs in the 2017 ODI World Cup final.

Even in the Commonwealth Games 2022, Australia eked out a nine-run win to clinch the gold medal despite a spirited show with the bat from India in the final, with Kaur’s team settling for the silver.

“We are working on those aspects, and hopefully, we will overcome this hurdle in the tournament,” she added.

India’s campaign begins on October 4 against New Zealand followed by the clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on October 6.

India, who lost to Sri Lanka in the women’s Asia Cup final earlier this year, will take on the team from the island nation on October 9 and each of their first three group stage matches will be played in Dubai.

India’s final group match against Australia will be played at Sharjah on October 13.

Kaur said the team’s combination of players from different states in the country gives an opportunity to learn further.

“All the players in our team come from different states. It feels good when you see so many different characters in the team. People from various states share the dressing room, and you get to learn about their cultures.

“I think you can only experience that in sports, not in any other career,” Kaur added.