Perry throws weight behind new ICC event

Australian cricket star Ellyse Perry has thrown her support behind the inaugural ICC Women's Champions Trophy, describing the new tournament as an exciting addition to the women's cricket calendar.

The tournament begins in February next year and will feature six teams competing in a T20I round-robin competition. Perry believes the new event will test teams both physically and mentally, with every match carrying significance.

"It is another great opportunity for the women's game and for all the teams competing. From my perspective, it is a new event, so it is always exciting to be a part of something like that, and a new spot on the calendar, which will be great for everyone. You want to play every game well. This tournament will be physically and mentally a huge challenge, and preparing for those matches, everyone's going to have to be spot on. But yeah, the mindset remains the same, you just want to win every game," she said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

High praise for India's Mandhana and Harmanpreet

Perry also heaped praise on India stars Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur, highlighting what makes each of them such formidable players on the global stage.

She lauded Mandhana's skill, determination and strong mindset, while describing Harmanpreet as a fierce competitor capable of clearing the ropes with the biggest of hits.

"What makes Smriti so successful? Her amazing skill. I think she has got incredible willpower and a super-strong mind, the way she approaches the game, the way she prepares, the way she knows herself, the way she thinks about things, and the way that she likes challenges. She has got it all. Harman, I think her greatest strength is her tenacity. She is a great competitor, and when she is going, she hits some of the biggest shots in the women's game," Perry added.

Decades of experience shape Perry's evolution

Perry, who recently scored 223 runs in seven innings for Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred, also reflected on her long international career since making her debut in 2007.

She credited years of varied experience — rather than any single breakthrough — for her continued growth as a player.

"You just naturally evolve as you grow as a person. Over the many years I have been involved in the game, there have been a number of different experiences, things to learn, people to work with and new avenues to explore. I guess incrementally, as that happens, you add new things or change the way you do things. Often, they're only small changes, but over a long period of time, there's always something new or a way to learn more. Hopefully, you keep improving, and that just kind of builds upon each other. So, nothing in particular, just years of experience," she added.