India captain Harmanpreet Kaur on Friday said her side ticked all the boxes in their emphatic nine-wicket win over Australia in the first women’s T20I here, particularly picking fielding as the department her players excelled the most in the match.
India bowled out the Australians for 141 in 19.2 overs with pacer Titas Sadhu taking four wickets and then chased down the target in 17.4 overs for a facile win.
“We were up to the mark in three departments,” Kaur said at the post-match presentation.
“We have been working hard on fielding, sometimes results won’t come but today, everyone was pumped and good to see fielders working on them.
“Credit goes to the fielding coach, he said Jemi (Rodrigues) will stand at point because we conceded a lot there. Everyone knows where they will be.”
India had produced shoddy fielding performance in the preceding three-match ODI series which they lost 0-3.
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Kaur revealed that Sadhu was a last-minute inclusion in Friday’s playing XI.
“It was a last-moment change, credit to our coach. At the last moment we thought if we could bring in an extra seamer that would be helpful, she did well.
“We know they are a good side. The way the bowling unit bowled today, we would love to do the same thing.”
Senior batter and opener Smriti Mandhana said the team bounced back well after the ODI series disappointment.
“We were disappointed with the ODI performance. Really pleased with the team today. Especially bowling. Getting them all out today after conceding 300-plus runs in the last match was amazing,” said Mandhana who made 54 off 52 balls.
“In the last two days, we analysed a lot of what went wrong. We definitely had a good one-hour meeting.”
On the bowling attack, Mandhana said, “Our four-seam attack worked. Titas bowled really well after the Asian Games. Really happy for her.
“She (Sadhu) comes from Bengal, and Bengal has given us a legendary bowler in Jhulu (Jhulan Goswami) di. We should not compare, she is very sorted, she tells me this is where I want to bowl and this is the field for me. She has that clarity. It’s a great thing to have, and I hope she continues the same way.
“I remember telling coach (Amol Muzumdar) to not be soft on us and to be as harsh as he is on the Mumbai Ranji team.”
Sadhu, on her part, said she will have to give a party to her team-mates for winning the player of the match award for returning impressive figures of 4/17.
“This has been a tradition now. Whoever wins these awards, gives the party. Since I have won tonight, I have to give the party,” she said.
On her performance, she said, “It has been a long series, I was with the team during the Test and ODI series. You have to be ready when the chance comes and I am happy to contribute.
“I was lucky I got two wickets in the second over, it was a good wicket to bowl on, whatever the team requires I’d do. We were trying to bowl more slow balls, obviously it’s a good thing that we won the toss. ”
Australia captain Alyssa Healy said it was not ideal to start the T20I series with a loss but admitted that her side didn’t play well.
“I think losing wickets upfront and throughout cost us. Normally, a few good partnerships will get us through the game. We bat very much down to nine. we want to keep pushing and adjusting to conditions,” she said.
On losing the toss, she said, “It would have been nice to bowl first. They hit impeccable lengths really early and made it really difficult for us.
“We have to adjust for that and change a few things tactics wise. We just have to adjust, someone has to bowl second.”
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