ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, IND-W vs NZ-W: ‘Didn’t play our best cricket’, says Harmanpreet Kaur after facing loss against White Ferns

Dubai: In the run-as much as the Women folk’s T20 World Cup, various people including the Indian players, talked about how this was the best-ever team to play in an edition of the tournament, with all bases covered. But Harmanpreet Kaur & co, the pre-tournament favourites, were off to a rough start in Group A with insipid performances across all facets and slumped to a heavy 58-run defeat to New Zealand on the Dubai International Stadium on Friday.

“We didn’t play our greatest cricket. Going forward we all know every game is necessary. We created chances but we were no longer ready to avail those chances. They played better cricket than us, absolute self assurance about that. (In) Fielding we made some mistakes so that can well be a learning for us going forward.”

“Now we have chased 100 and sixty-a hundred and seventy again and again, we were anticipating that on the board. While batting, we knew a person had to bat through but we kept losing wickets. We know this group is able to (doing) better, this wasn’t the start we were anticipating but we go (up) from here,” said a disappointed Harmanpreet after the match ended.

For New Zealand, there wasn’t any better by reason of snap their ten-match losing streak in the format with a clinical win over a listless Indian team. Skipper Sophie Devine took charge in the back-end of New Zealand’s innings with an unbeaten 36-ball fifty seven after a Sixty seven-run opening stand between Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer, as they posted a not easy 100 and sixty/Four on a sticky pitch.

“Thought the platform on the head of the innings from Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer set the tone. Me and Melie (Amelia Kerr) were per chance a little slow through overs 7-12 but we were ready to move tough on the back end.”

“It was tough figure available in the market, % off and in search of the gaps. Somewhat scratchy to start off with. Just in point of fact happy to make contributions. We’ve worked so tough over the past six months, nice to look the team get their reward,” said Sophie after getting the Player of the Match award.

With the ball, aided by a fab breeze in Dubai evening, pacer Rosemary Mair took Four-19, while seamer Lea Tahuhu picked three-15 and off-spinner Eden Carson broke the game open by getting the Indian openers in the first four overs.

“I’m in point of fact comfortable with this group. People have been speaking about our recent results, popping out against a world-class side like India, to produce that performance I’m overwhelmed. We’ve been concentrated on this game for a prolonged time. To come again out and lay a marker (is superb), but we’ve got a prolonged by reason of move in the tournament.”

“We’ve had some good starts in the powerplay from Georgia and Suzie. They showed great intent. Then to complete off the innings was in point of fact important, Brooke Halliday and Maddy Green played valuable hands. We were almost definitely going 10 over par, but we all know how powerful their line-up is. We spoke about making batters play their most challenging shots, and the bowlers in point of fact delivered,” added Sophie on how they got their plans spot-on to rattle India.

India doesn’t have much time – just a day’s rest just before they take the sphere against Pakistan on Sunday afternoon. New Zealand, then again, has a pair of days just before facing defending champions Australia on October Eight.

“We know them too well. Always a really powerful challenge, being ready to play in these conditions levels the playing field a little. We’ll take great self assurance, they’re the games you may have to play. Licking our lips to get stuck in,” concluded Sophie.