"It's been a tough couple of weeks, getting used to one position and then getting moved again, but opening is a good opportunity to get the team off to a good start"
Tuesday 3 March 2020 19:03, UK
England batter Tammy Beaumont is "daring to dream" of playing in a sold-out T20 World Cup final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.
England will reach their second straight T20 World Cup final if they beat India in their semi-final in Sydney - but could be scuppered by the rain with Thursday's forecast looking grim.
Beaumont's side will be eliminated if their game with Group A winners India is abandoned having finished second in Group B, with no reserve days in place for the semi-finals at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The final on International Women's Day, at which Katy Perry will perform, is firmly in Beaumont's mind, though, as she aims to help England to their first T20 title since 2009.
"You have to put all attention to Thursday - you can't take that for granted," said Beaumont, part of England's 50-over World Cup victory on home soil in 2017.
"But the thought of being at a sold-out MCG, having Katy Perry there, all the hype, the big occasion it would be to be in a World Cup final, you can't look too far away from that.
"You have to let yourself dare to dream that you can win a World Cup final at one of the most historic grounds in the world in front of a massive crowd."
England will need to defeat unbeaten India to make Sunday's showpiece in Melbourne - but have made a habit of that in T20 World Cups, winning all five of their previous meetings, including the 2018 semi-final by eight wickets.
However, Beaumont believes India are "much improved" from that game, pinpointing 16-year-old opener Shafali Verma, the third-highest run-scorer in the tournament, as a chief threat.
"India have come on a long way since the 2018 World Cup. They are up-and-coming and much improved, so we can't take them lightly," said Beaumont, with Harmanpreet Kaur's side winning all four of their group games, against Australia, Bangladesh, New Zealand and Sri Lanka.
"They have a very powerful top order - we will have to have really good plans to Shafali and [Smriti] Mandhana. They also have a good bowling attack with all their spin options and I have heard the SCG can spin.
"It's not about playing your best game at the beginning of the tournament, it's about peaking at the right times and hopefully we will take it up another notch on Thursday and get an important win."
Beaumont batted in the middle order in England's first three games - the defeat to South Africa and the wins over Thailand and Pakistan - but returned to open for the crushing victory over West Indies that sealed the team's semi-final place.
The right-hander was out for a second-ball duck but hopes to rectify that next time out, having been inspired by Amy Jones, the player she replaced at the top of the order.
"It's been a tough couple of weeks, getting used to one position and then getting moved again, but I am back at the top which I have obviously done a lot in my career," added Beaumont.
"It's a good opportunity to get out there and get the team off to a good start. I didn't come off at all the other night but that can happen!
"To see the way Amy bounced back [scoring runs] at No 6 gave me a lot of confidence that while it didn't go for me this time there is still a chance. If it has worked for Amy down the order, hopefully it can work for me up top."
Watch England's T20 World Cup semi-final, against India, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 3.30am on Thursday.
