NEW DELHI, November 17: Hosts India will take on Sri Lanka in the inaugural match of the Hero Honda Women's World Cup cricket at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground here on December 9.

Besides India, defending champions England, runners-up New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and West Indies are the other teams taking part in the 20-day tournament.Srirupa Bose, coach-cum-manager of the Indian women's team said here today that the Indian team has a strong chance to win the tournament.

``Our team has got a really good chance to win the World Cup even though teams like Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and England are very strong,'' Bose said.

The Indian women have been performing well in the shorter version of the game in recent past, winning the New Zealand Bank Centenary Tri-series (in Auckland) in 1995, beating New Zealnd and Australia. They also beat England in a one-day series at home in 1995-96. The Indian team will be announced on November 18.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.