Mumbai, Feb. 4 -- India will approach their clash against Sri Lanka in the Women's World Cup on Tuesday as a must-win match. The team, however, will hold a chance to go ahead on the basis of net run-rate even if they lose, and if West Indies beat England. But skipper Mithali Raj and her girls will look to decide their own fate rather than leave it to the numbers.

"The next game is a do-or-die game and we are not going to take Sri Lanka lightly. On such a wicket especially, it could be anybody's game and they have done well against England. I am hoping that the team will put in a good effort, as usual," she said.

Although the hosts tasted defeat against England on Sunday, they would have taken consolation over the batting of Harmanpreet Kaur, who stood her ground in difficult times to return with her maiden international century.

India will be depending a lot on Harmanpreet and Mithali will be hoping that her vice-captain will be ready for the Sri Lankan challenge.

Openers MD Thirushkamini and Poonam Raut had given the team a good start in the opening match and both will be hoping to repeat that effort.

Mithali is due for a big knock and it will be the icing on the cake if she gets back to scoring ways in the crucial match.

Mithali said the team would chase again if the conditions were similar.

"I will see if we are getting a fresh wicket. If the conditions are the same, I will still opt to field, because the way Jhulan (Goswami) bowled in the first spell, she was brilliant. So, I wouldn't want any other pacer to get that kind of assistance."

Published by HT Syndication with permission from Hindustan Times.