Harmanpreet wants women’s cricket taken seriously in India after double series win in England

After firing India to a double series win in England, captain Harmanpreet Kaur wants the Women in Blue to 'start from ball one' in preparation for the World Cup to be held later this year.

On Tuesday, Harmanpreet scored 102 as India defeated England by 13 runs in the third ODI to clinch the series 2-1. India had triumphed 3-2 in the T20I series.

India next play world champions Australia in a three-match ODI series at home beginning September 14, before co-hosting the World Cup with Sri Lanka from September 30 to November 2.

"But whenever you are playing the next game, it's always you have to start from ball one and I think this series will definitely give us a lot of confidence. But again, when we go back, we have to start again things from the ball one," Harmanpreet said.

She was adjudged the player of the match and the player of the series. However, the skipper believes there is still room for improvement as a team. "Well, if you see our team is really working hard for so many years and this is the time where we are getting that reward.

"I am really happy all the girls are coming up and coming up with positive mindset and working really hard on their fitness.

"Right now, the kind of fitness you need in international cricket. We have understood a lot of things in the past few years and right now, just trying to pass that benchmark and setting ourselves in that position where people can talk about women's cricket, people can take women's cricket really seriously back home."