Here’s the full transcript of Hong Kong captain Natasha Miles’ interview with India Today
Q: This being Hong Kong’s first-ever Women’s Asia Cup, what goals have you set for the tournament?
A: “Our goals that we’ve spoken about as a team are to relish the moment. It’s not often that we get the opportunity to play teams like India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and face the likes of Smriti and Harmanpreet, the big names on the international stage. So, it’s about taking this opportunity in our stride, making the most of it, going out there, expressing ourselves and showing what Hong Kong has been doing over the last few years, and how we can compete at that level.”
Q: Against a powerhouse like India, what mindset would you want your team to have, and which Indian players are you most looking forward to playing against?
A: “Interestingly, we had Mahela Jayawardena come and speak to us recently, and one big takeaway from that conversation was: how do we play the game and not the opposition?
“India are a big powerhouse team, and they have some brilliant, incredible legends of women’s cricket who will go on to make history in the game. But how do we put that to one side and go out there and play the ball and the game itself, rather than the bowler or the batter? That’s something we’ve spoken about and how we’d like to approach it.
“But underlying all of that, the reality is that we are playing against some big names. It goes without saying that playing against Smriti and Renuka Thakur, Deepti and Harmanpreet will be a big challenge. Then there’s Fatima Sana with Pakistan, and there are lots of names in the mix who have played around the world in the WBBL and The Hundred.
“You’re going to go out there, test your skills against them and hopefully learn by playing against them and watching them.”
Q: Having played so much cricket in England against some of the world’s best players, how are you looking to bring that winning mentality into the team ahead of this major tournament?
A: “As you said, I’ve been very lucky to play with some incredible players in English cricket throughout my career, and I’ve learned loads from the likes of Charlotte Edwards, Sarah Taylor and Heather Knight, whom I’ve played cricket with for many years.
“Taking all of that experience into the game is going to be fun, but also a little bit of a challenge in terms of keeping myself calm in certain situations. As a team, we’ve come together really well, and I’ve got a great support system through our coach and some of the senior players. Being able to bounce ideas off them and discuss things I’ve seen in the game, as well as fresh perspectives they’ve picked up, will be really key to how we approach this tournament.
“I’ve also been lucky enough to play with Harmanpreet quite a few years ago in Manchester, when we were with Lancashire Lightning in the early days of the Super League. She has obviously improved and progressed a huge amount since then, so it’ll be a slightly different challenge. But I’ll try to reflect on what I learned from playing with her and take that into the game.”
Q: Who do you believe can be the trump cards for Hong Kong in the Asia Cup?
A: “In the last few months, it’s been hard to pinpoint one. We’ve really, not to sound cheesy, but Mamtha has worked hard with the group to make us a unit.
“We try not to rely on individual players, but we have a number of really talented players. Maryam Bibi has really come through and shone a light on her talent in the middle order as a batter. She has come in and allowed us to have a longer batting unit. Marina Lamplough has also come into the middle order, giving us more depth, and she’s been bowling some spin for us, which is quite handy.
“Our top three have been pretty settled between me, Mariko Hill and Yasmin Daswani, so I’m looking forward to seeing what platform that can set for the rest of the team.
“Kary Chan is always one to look out for. She’s a dual threat, a very talented bowler and a great batter, and she’s been in the top 100 of all-rounders in world cricket over the years.
“It’s hard to pick one name, but we’ve also got opening bowlers in Iqra Sahar and Alison Siu who have really hit their straps over the last few months. If I had to pick someone who could be a bit of a game-changer and show some fight, I think Maryam Bibi has shown a lot of that in the last few months for us.”
Q: Now that you have ticked the Asia Cup box, what improvements do Hong Kong need to qualify for the Women’s T20 World Cup?
A: “I think more exposure to competitions like this will be important, along with developing consistency and the mindset required to maintain that winning mentality and perform consistently.
“We’ve had some standout performances in patches, and that’s starting to become more frequent, with longer periods where we’re really capitalising on being in form. It’s about how we can take that and make it a habit — make winning a habit, and make turning up and performing a habit. I think that’s our next step.”
