Kaur delighted as India tick 'all the boxes' in seismic Sri Lanka win
Media release
Harmanpreet Kaur says patience was key to the fastest T20I fifty of her career in India’s crucial 82-run victory over Sri Lanka in Dubai.
India’s captain claimed the Player of the Match prize for a superb 52 off 27 balls just three days after being forced to retire hurt in the win over Pakistan.
Kaur’s knock, which included the biggest six of the tournament so far, helped her side to 172 for three before India’s stable of spinners finished the job to keep their hopes of a semi-final place alive.
“I was in my zone and I wanted to be there for the team and keep rotating the strike and whenever the ball was in my zone, I wanted to go for it,” Kaur said.
“You have to be there and keep rotating the strike and only when the ball is in your zone can you go for it.
“You can’t keep swinging and hope the ball will come onto your bat. You have to keep trusting yourself, stay in for a long time and then execute later on.
“We didn’t throw our wickets away, we were there, there for the team, and I’m really happy with the way we played.”
Smriti Mandhana (50) and Shafali Verma (43) laid the foundations with a devastating 98-run opening partnership before falling in successive balls in the 13th over.
Kaur ensured the momentum stayed with her side at the halfway stage, powering India to the highest score of the tournament.
“We just wanted to go with the momentum. Smriti and Shafali gave us a really good start,” Kaur said.
“They didn’t throw their wicket away and they were calculated. I think after losing two back-to-back wickets, Jemimah (Rodrigues) and I were thinking about how we could get to seven or eight runs an over and we just went with the flow.”
In reply, India reduced Sri Lanka to 6 for 3 in the third over before eventually dismissing the Lions for 90 with a ball to spare, as Arundhati Reddy and Asha Sobhana claimed three wickets apiece.
Victory takes India into second in Group A behind defending champions and Sunday’s opponents Australia, with Kaur hopeful her side can raise their level further still ahead of their showdown in Sharjah.
“A lot of things went according to our plan here,” said Kaur.
“I think all the boxes were ticked today. We batted well, bowled well and especially fielded well.
“(Against Australia) we definitely have to play good cricket first of all.
“Our bowlers are doing well and they are a good side but at the same time it’s good to see our bowlers in a good rhythm, they are giving us breakthroughs whenever we need it.”
Sri Lanka have now tasted defeat in each of their three matches and will finish their campaign against New Zealand on Saturday.
Skipper Chamari Athapaththu believes the side are yet to recover fully from their opening defeat to Pakistan.
“We struggled in the bowling, we dropped a few catches and we weren’t bowling the right line and length,” said Athapaththu.
“Even the batters didn’t do our job, especially myself, Vishmi (Gunaratne) and Harshitha (Samarawickrama).
“We all go out early so it’s hard to chase this kind of score. We have to bounce back and go to the whiteboard again.”
ENDS