FILE PHOTO: Yastika Bhatia usually bats at number three while Bharti Fulmali batted in the middle order against Pakistan but could not contribute much. | Photo Credit: AP

Yastika Bhatia should be utilised in the upcoming games of the Women’s T20 World Cup, reckons former India international and chief selector Hemlata Kala who would also want to see an improvement in the fielding department.

India began its World Cup campaign with a thumping win over Pakistan in Birmingham on Sunday.

It effectively needs to beat either South Africa or Australia from its group to enter the semifinals.

In the Pakistan match, India chose to play the big-hitting Bharti Fulmali over Yastika, who has a more conventional game.

Hemlata, who served as chief selector from 2016 to 2020, a phase when India reached the finals of 2017 ODI World Cup and 2020 T20 World Cup, wanted Yastika in the playing eleven for the game against Netherlands in Leeds on Wednesday.

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“I would like to see Yastika in the playing eleven. She doesn’t have to play one down necessarily. She can play in the middle-order also and we should use her, she also did well in the recent series against England,” Kala told PTI.

Yastika usually bats at number three while Bharti batted in the middle order against Pakistan but could not contribute much.

India’s fielding has been its weakest link for a while and Hemlata would like to see a positive change.

“I won’t agree that we are over reliant on openers. We have good batters down the order also.

“And India have to bowl as per potential. But yes fielding needs improvement. We need to save runs like other teams do (Australia and England),” she said.

India doesn’t posses power-hitters like Australia but Hemalata doesn’t see that as an issue.

“We are better than South Africa when it comes to power hitting. We are competing with Australia. No one plays better than Harry (Harmanpreet Kaur), Shafali bats at a high strike-rate.

“Smriti’s class doesn’t need power hitting. I would say game sense is much more important than power hitting. Our players have the game awareness and know how to bounce back from tough situations.

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“With the way we played against Pakistan, we are certain to play the semifinals. As a team we have most bases covered. It is about playing well in the semifinal and if you do that you are in the final. I would like to see an India and Australia final.” Hemlata also won’t like to read too much into India’s performance in the preceding series losses to South Africa and England.

“I would not read much into the performance against South Africa and England series as the management was trying out players. We have come to the World Cup with clarity in combination.”

Asked if India won the ODI World Cup with the individual brilliance of Jemimah Rodrigues and not because of the team effort, she added: “All batters don’t get runs at the same time. Only one or two can. One person cannot win you the tournament. There has to be a team effort for any side to win a trophy. If we win the T20 World Cup it would be because of team effort.”

Published on Jun 16, 2026