By Patitosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Sept 14
A DAY after winning her maiden Women’s Asia Cup title, Vidarbha all-rounder Bharti Fulmali has set her sights on the forthcoming Asian Games in Japan which is going to be held from September 19 to October 4, 2026.
Fulmali was elated to be part of the Indian team which defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs to lift the 8th Asia Cup on Sunday in Dubai.
“It was really a special experience for me because it was my first Asia Cup and winning the trophy made it even more memorable. Personally, I learned a lot from so many experienced players in the side,” Fulmali told ‘The Hitavada’ in an exclusive interview from Dubai on Monday.
Though the hard-hitter batter Fulmali spent limited time in the middle, she said her role in the team is of a finisher and she always tries to deliver as per the expectations of the team.
“I’m happy with whatever opportunity I get. My focus is always on contributing to the team and making the most of my chances. I understand my role in the team. Whenever I get those few balls, I want to play to my strengths. One area I want to keep improving is making the most of every scoring opportunity, especially when I get a ball in my zone, and converting those opportunities into valuable runs,” she explained.
“I’m quite comfortable with the position I’m batting at (No 5 or 6). I understand that my role is more towards the finishing side, so sometimes I may get only a few balls to face. For me, the important thing is to stay prepared for that moment and make those balls count. Wherever the team wants me to bat, I’m happy to do that,” she added.
The 31-year-old Amravati lass wanted to be more positive and clear in her approach.
“I want to be a little more positive and clear in my approach. I also want to get better at identifying the right balls to attack and making the most of every scoring opportunity,” she mentioned.
On not accepting the winners trophy from Asian Cricket Council President Mohsin Naqvi, Fulmali said the team followed BCCI’s guidelines.
“That was a decision taken at the BCCI level. As players, our focus throughout the tournament was on cricket and on winning the Asia Cup. We followed whatever decision was communicated to us by the BCCI,” she stated.
Going into the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya in Japan, Fulmali wants to remain confident.
“Going into the Asian Games, the focus will be on staying confident, being clear about my role and executing it better.”
“It will definitely be a different challenge because the conditions in Japan will be new for us. At the same time, we will face some similar opponents that we played against in the Asia Cup, so that experience will definitely help us. We know the expectations will be high after winning the Asia Cup, but our approach will remain the same — take one game at a time, respect every opponent and focus on executing our plans. We’ll try our best to carry the same confidence and momentum into the Asian Games,” she said.
Fulmali said the new pitches will pose a different challenge but the team will accept it.
“The pitches and conditions will be completely new for the team. We don’t know exactly how the wickets will behave until we get there and spend some time.
“But that is also part of the challenge and I’m really looking forward to it. The important thing will be to assess the conditions quickly, communicate well as a team and adapt accordingly,” she signed off.
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