India‘s vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has confirmed that Harmanpreet Kaur is fit to lead the team in their T20 World Cup match against Sri Lanka in Dubai on October 9. The Indian captain had retired hurt during their last match against Pakistan, where the team was close to victory.
The Women in Blue triumphed over Pakistan by six wickets on October 6, successfully chasing a target of 106 runs in 18.5 overs. Harmanpreet scored 29 runs off 24 balls before retiring due to a neck injury while avoiding a stumping.
At a press conference prior to the match against Sri Lanka, Mandhana affirmed the captain’s availability for the crucial game, stating (as quoted by PTI):
“She (Harman) is doing fine and she will be fine for tomorrow (Wednesday).”
The 28-year-old also noted that the fitness of all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar remains uncertain, as she had to miss the match against Pakistan.
“Pooja, I think the medical team is still working on her. So, the update will come only tomorrow during the match. But yeah, I don’t think I can say anything at the moment,” Mandhana commented.
The Indian vice-captain also expressed her views on India’s chase, which sparked debate due to their low net run rate. After limiting Pakistan to a modest score, fans and analysts anticipated an aggressive batting approach from India. However, the Women in Blue took almost 19 overs to secure the victory.
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Mandhana defended the team’s strategy, stating that batting conditions in the UAE have not been easy. The opener commented:
“It (run rate) definitely was last match, but as I said, the conditions are a lot different to what you expect as a batter so you are probably thinking to get that run rate high and also you firstly you have to win the match first that’s the first priority for us,” said Mandhana.
“So, it’s a balance between trying to find out what’s the best for the team. Of course, you know in the last match I couldn’t like I started off fine but then later on I consumed a few dot balls which was a little irritating for me…,” she elaborated.
India must win their final two Group A matches by substantial margins to remain in contention for a semi-final spot.
Smriti Mandhana has yet to make a significant impact with the bat in the T20 World Cup
One factor behind India’s batting struggles is Mandhana’s inability to perform at her usual level. As the opening batter, she has not provided the team with strong starts.
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The experienced left-handed batter scored 12 runs against New Zealand, getting caught at long-off by Eden Carson. In the match against Pakistan, she managed only seven runs off 16 balls, edging a full delivery from Sadia Iqbal to point.
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